Speaker application FAQs

To encourage more applicants we’ve brainstormed (and borrowed from other WordCamps) the most popular questions you as a potential Speaker might have.

If we’ve missed anything, do not hesitate to contact us or leave a comment below.

Q: Can you submit more than one talk?

Yes! This will significantly increase your chances of being accepted and give us a wider variety of talks to select from.

We will however most likely only select one of your submitted talks.

Q: Are all types of talks welcome?

YES! The stage is set for a wonderful variety of speakers. We are open to the full spectrum of session formats and encourage you to submit anything from standard slide presentations to panels, demonstrations, and more.

Whatever your idea, we’d love to hear it.

Q: How long do sessions have to be?

We encourage a variety of session formats, which include, but are not limited to;

  • Lightning talks: (maximum of 10 mins with a group Q&A)
  • Long form talks: (maximum of 40 mins inclusive of Q&A)
  • Workshop: (maximum of 90 mins but can be shorter)

Don’t hesitate to get creative and submit a session format you think might be interesting!

Q: Is there a speaker’s package?

All speakers will receive a complimentary ticket to the entire event, including the After Party and the VIP Dinner

Q: Who will be in charge of wrangling speakers?

We are thrilled to have our organisers, Anchen le Roux and Andrew Lima, taking care of our speakers. Anchen will be the speakers’ main contact to the entire WordCamp Johannesburg organising team and any questions should be directed to the Speakers team by email.

Q: Does it matter if you haven’t spoken at a conference before?

No not at all! If you have a topic that is interesting, then we would love to hear from you.

We are committed to helping you share your experience, idea or knowledge; we hope that everything we’ve put in place will serve to support our speakers in contributing to an incredible WordCamp.

Q: What should people talk about?

Anything you like! The WordPress ecosystem and community do such a variety of different things with WordPress – whether that’s designing, writing content, building businesses or adding features and functionality – we want to hear it all!

Tell us your stories of success and growth, but don’t be afraid to also tell us of your worst experiences and how you turned them around. We can all learn from each other!

That said all the talks we’ve picked in the past – and will be picking this year – are all about helping the WordPress community be the best they can be. As a diverse community, we share a range of interests, skills, knowledge and experiences.

Similarly, if your talk has some connection to WordPress, or is directly about WordPress itself, we would love to hear from you!

Q: How do I submit my application?

You can submit your application by going to this page, logging into your WordPress.org account and submitting the form.

Hope to see you on stage!