There were more than 120 people vying for six speaking slots

We've written in the past about how the committee whittles the submissions down, and then, before making the final selections from a group of about 20 people, we watch videos, peruse decks on SlideShare, and try to determine if a potential speaker would be successful on the stage. (Speaking in front of 1,500 people can be unnerving, even for the most accomplished speaker.)

After all, we want everyone to walk away from MozCon feeling as though the event was a benefit. Related:GroupBuy SEO Tools

In general, during the final stages of the process, we're looking for/at three elements with regards to the submission alone:
Strength of the pitch (e.g., value, relevance to the audience, etc.),
Whether or not the info can reasonably be delivered in the time allotted, and
Does it fit with overall programming (i.e., assuming it clears the two other hurdles, does it address a need for the event?)

The winning pitches nailed each of the elements above; we're confident the talks will be well-received by the audience.

Without further adieu, let's take a closer look at this spectacular group.

[Eds. note: Pitches were were edited for length and to help speakers retain an element of surprise.]