Our approach to building a program worth your time
Every year, we’re asked the same question:
How do you decide who gets on the State of Social stage?
The short answer is simple. Carefully.
The longer answer is this 👇
State of Social exists to help people working in digital and social cut through noise and complexity. That means the bar for our speakers is high and getting higher. We’re not interested in recycled decks, thinly disguised sales pitches, or ideas that sound impressive but fall apart in practice.
Our speaker selection process takes months and is deliberately rigorous. Here’s how it works. You can explore the current State of Social program here.
We start with the reality of the industry
Before we think about names, we think about context.
Each year’s theme is shaped by what’s actually happening in the industry right now. The pressure points. The contradictions. The decisions people are struggling to make. For SOS26, that’s Friction: the tension between strategy and execution, creativity and constraint, humans and technology.
Every session on the program has to earn its place against that backdrop. This approach to how we pick speakers has been part of State of Social from the beginning.
We define the problems worth solving
Once the theme is set, we map the disciplines and challenges we want the program to cover. Strategy, creativity, content, platforms, technology, leadership, measurement and execution all matter, but not every conversation belongs on the stage every year.
We’re ruthless about relevance. If a topic doesn’t help our audience think more clearly or work more effectively, it doesn’t make the cut.
We source speakers globally, not just loudly
Some speakers come to us through our global network. Others are recommended by people we trust. Some are people we actively seek out because of the work they’re doing, not the following they’ve built.
We’re interested in practitioners, not performers. People who are close to the work and willing to share what they’re learning, including what hasn’t worked.
You can explore speakers from previous State of Social events here.
We review substance and delivery
Ideas matter, but so does how they’re shared. If we haven’t seen someone speak before, we ask for footage. Not highlight reels, but sample sessions where we can assess clarity, structure, pacing and substance. We look for speakers who can explain complex ideas simply, without dumbing them down.
Charisma is a bonus. Credibility is non-negotiable.
We get selective, then collaborative
Shortlisted speakers are workshopped, not waved through. We talk through session angles, takeaways, and formats. We push on clarity. We challenge fluff. We make sure every session delivers something useful to the audience, not just something impressive on paper.
The process is intentional. It’s how we avoid filler and select the best speakers for you.
The result is a program built for you
By the time the program is locked, every speaker has earned their place.
The result is a line-up that spans strategic, creative and technical disciplines, with one thing in common: relevance. No sales pitches. No recycled content. No filler sessions designed to pad out a timetable.
Just ideas, insights and conversations that respect your time.
Want to be part of it?
If you’re interested in speaking at a future State of Social, keep an eye on our speaker submissions when they open. We’re always looking for people doing thoughtful, interesting work and willing to share it honestly.
