I still remember the first marketing conference I attended—I was just a young whippersnapper back then (five years ago). It was a little event in New York City called “Rainmaker,” sponsored by a company specializing in real estate blogging. It was a bit of an odd experience, being surrounded by people wearing suits who were twice or triple my age, in some fancy hotel that I still probably can’t afford to stay in.
I’ve been to many conferences since, and they’re always great learning experiences. But why pay all the money and travel expenses for a conference when there’s so much free content and learning material already out there?
The Must-Attend Digital Conferences of 2015
Simple: getting out of your comfort zone provides for a much better learning experience. Of course you can watch a webinar at your desk, but being there exposes you to a new environment, new people, and new ideas—helping to refresh your brain so you can come back to your job with fresh ideas for marketing and renewed energy.
At Digital Third Coast we’re a big fan of conferences. From honing our Inbound Expertise in Boston, to MozCon in Seattle and Content Jam right here at home, our staff makes the rounds at conferences to gather the latest and greatest ideas from the world of marketing, so we can take them home and find ways to further our clients’ success.
To help you find a conference that’s right for you, we’ve assembled a nifty guide to some of our favorite conferences to attend in 2015. (The yellow pins are content marketing conferences.)
Want the full list? Check out the full rundown at the Digital Third Coast blog.
With so many marketing conferences out there, it can be hard to choose the right events for you and your team. To stay local or travel across country? Something niche and focused, or a wide-ranging event covering every aspect of digital marketing?
While it’s impossible to highlight every conference out there, we think a few deserve special attention. Here’s what we have to look forward to in the remainder of 2015.
April
DIGIMARCON Cruise 2015 (4/26 – 5/3) – Need a vacation but want to brush up your marketing knowledge? Do both at the same time with the DIGIMARCON cruise out of Orlando, Florida. This surprisingly affordable conference covers all aspects of digital marketing, from content strategy to marketing automation.
HeroConf (4/27 – 4/29) – Already a PPC guru? Just getting your feet wet in the expansive ocean of paid search? Either way, the HeroConf in Portland, Oregon is the conference for you. Claiming to be the world’s largest conference on paid search, the HERO Conference focuses on actionable advice for professionals who work in paid search.
May
Gartner Digital Marketing Conference (5/5 – 5/7) – Gartner is a leader in the world of market research, and their conference on the latest digital marketing trends is a must-attend for anyone managing digital efforts at a high level. With advice on gaining market share and securing your own personal success as a leader in marketing, this San Francisco-based conference provides some of the best learning and networking opportunities anywhere.
Authority Rainmaker (5/13 – 5/15) – Authority Rainmaker is a smaller but highly respected conference taking place in Denver, Colorado. With an incredible lineup of speakers fully focused on content creation and marketing, it’s worth the trip to the Rockies if you’re serious about creating awesome content (which you probably are if you’re here on Kapost’s blog, right?).
Sirius Decisions Summit (5/12 – 5/15) – Since 2005, Sirius Decisions Summit has been one of the leading conferences for marketing leaders, focusing on growth strategies from marketing plans to making the most out of your analytics platform. This year they’ll be in Nashville, Tennessee—and Kapost will be there!
Summer
CRMC 2015 (6/3 – 6/4) – If you’re serious about CRM and/or customer service, add CRMC 2015 to your conference schedule this year. Taking place in Digital Third Coast’s home of Chicago, CRMC is attended by over 150 companies focused on one thing: elevating the customer experience for the world’s premier brands.
MozCon (7/13 – 7/15) – If you’re an SEO dork like me, you’re probably going to be here. MozCon, organized by Moz (makers of some of the leading SEO tools on the market) is one of the fastest growing marketing conferences. And while it’s run by an SEO company, it covers much more, including community development, content marketing, and social media.
An Event Apart (Multiple Dates) – An Event Apart offers conferences in Washington DC, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, Seattle, and Austin, so no matter where you live, you can take part in one of the premier conferences on web development and design. From coders to designers to decision markers, if you’re involved in website creation and management, you’ll want to check this out.
September (This Month’s For You, Content Lovers!)
Inbound (Mid-September) – In just three years, Inbound has grown to 7,500 attendees in Boston each year. Presented by the people behind Moz and HubSpot (our two favorite tools ever), Inbound covers the latest and greatest in inbound marketing techniques.
Content Marketing World (9/8 – 9/11) – Taking place in Cleveland, Ohio, Content Marketing World focuses on developing, executing, managing, and curating the content that fuels leading marketing campaigns.
Content Jam (9/24 – 9/25) – A smaller conference in the heart of downtown Chicago, Content Jam ties content to SEO, analytics, conversion, promotion, and more to create an immersive, varied learning environment for all professionals who work in the world of content
October
Pubcon Las Vegas (10/5 – 10/9) – Want variety? You got it: this conference in Las Vegas offers everything from social media to content marketing to SEO sessions, group seminars to one-on-one training, and speakers from around the world. A must-catch for serious digital marketers.
November
PRSA International Conference (11/8 – 11/10) – This one’s for you, PR pros. PRSA is one of the premier public relations conferences in the world, taking place in Atlanta, Georgia with over 3,000 annual attendees. Enjoy award-winning presentations and innovative learning sessions.
No matter who you are, where you live, what your budget is, or what industry you work in, there’s a conference out there for you. Get out of your comfort zone, dive into some new topics, meet some new people, and, most importantly, get out of the office.
Happy conferencing from Digital Third Coast!