Blame it on TED

It's almost a cliché to talk about how dramatically the Internet has changed business. Even so, it bears mentioning how the decision by TED to post its content for free has had a profound impact on the speaking world. TED content has elevated the expectations of event planners and audiences in very significant ways. Those compact 18 minute segments redefine what it means to deliver a talk that matters. Many times, the pure quirky nature of the topic being addressed is so offbeat that it's totally engaging. Imagine my surprise at being transfixed by Robert Lang's talk about origami!

With nearly 630,000 views, I'm not alone! Point is -- all this access to great content delivered so well means the pressure is on anyone who speaks to measure up to a different standard -- even in the minds of only occasional event goers. Speakers - and those of us who help event planners secure speaking talents - need to be on our game more than ever because the level of sophistication has amped up. Just as in every other industry, the Internet has raised the bar in our profession -- audiences accustomed to seeing great content on the TED site measure others they see against that standard.

What do you think?