The Hidden Costs of Speaking at eLearning Conferences (And Why Adobe Gets It Right)
If you're an eLearning professional, you've probably considered speaking at an industry conference. The benefits are clear—networking, visibility, and the opportunity to share your expertise with a wider audience. But what often goes unspoken is the financial burden that speakers shoulder just to be part of these events.
The Reality of Speaking at eLearning Conferences
Many conferences issue a call for proposals, inviting experts to submit session ideas. If selected, speakers receive the opportunity to present at the event—but with no financial compensation. Here’s what the process typically looks like:
Step 1: Submitting a Proposal
You spend time crafting a compelling session, ensuring it aligns with the conference’s theme. This takes effort, strategy, and usually at least an hour or more of writing and refining. Once submitted, it’s a waiting game to see if your session is accepted.
Step 2: Traveling to the Conference
Unlike corporate-sponsored attendees, speakers usually have to pay their own way to the conference. And these events aren’t held in budget-friendly locations—they’re in major cities like Orlando, Las Vegas, or New Orleans, where flights and accommodations come at a premium. A round-trip flight often starts at $400 or more.
Step 3: Staying at the Conference
To make the most of the experience, speakers often stay at the official conference hotel, which ensures easy access to sessions, networking events, and keynotes. Even with a modest rate of $100 per night (which is rare), a three-night stay adds up to at least $300.
Meals add to the cost, too. While conferences may provide breakfast and lunch, dinners are typically an out-of-pocket expense—easily totaling $150+ over three days.
The “Compensation” Many Conferences Offer
In return for their expertise, speakers are often given a complimentary conference pass. But let’s be honest—this costs the event organizers nothing. They’re profiting from the ticket sales of paying attendees, and the content that speakers provide is a major draw for those attendees. Yet, speakers still end up investing hundreds (or thousands) of dollars to be there.
This raises a fair question: Is it worth it?
Why Adobe Stands Out
Unlike many eLearning conferences, Adobe values its speakers in a way that acknowledges their contributions. When you speak at an Adobe-hosted event—like the Adobe Learning Summit—you’re not just given a free pass. Adobe compensates speakers for their time and effort. This means that presenters aren’t left footing the bill for travel and accommodations just to share their expertise.
This approach sets Adobe apart. By offering compensation, they’re demonstrating that they respect the value that speakers bring and recognize the importance of supporting the professionals who contribute to the success of their events.
Should Speakers Push Back?
There’s a growing conversation in the eLearning community about whether we should stop accepting unpaid speaking engagements that require out-of-pocket expenses. After all, professionals in other industries (marketing, tech, etc.) often receive speaker stipends or travel reimbursement.
If more speakers held conferences accountable and demanded better compensation, we might see a shift in how these events operate. Until then, it’s worth considering:
Seeking sponsorships from vendors to offset costs
Prioritizing events that offer real benefits beyond visibility
Negotiating with organizers—you never know if they have an unspoken budget for speaker expenses
Focusing on conferences that truly invest in their speakers, like Adobe’s events
Final Thoughts
Speaking at conferences is a privilege, but it shouldn’t come at a personal financial loss. If we want the industry to thrive, we need to advocate for fair compensation—and Adobe’s model proves that it’s possible.
If you’re an eLearning professional considering a conference speaking gig, take a close look at what you’re getting in return. Visibility is great, but financial sustainability matters, too.
What do you think? Should eLearning conferences start compensating speakers more fairly? Let’s start the conversation.
