Finding the Best Marketing Conference for You
Few things matter more in business today than marketing. You might be selling the greatest product or service ever, but that doesn’t matter unless you can get people to actually care about whatever it is you’ve got to offer.
A great marketing strategy can literally be the difference between a successful business and one that doesn’t even get off the ground.
That’s why it makes a lot of sense to always be on the lookout for effective marketing techniques. And who better to turn to than fellow marketers?
After all, who would know the industry better than the ones who actually live it every day?
Marketing conferences are pretty much the Comic-Con for marketers. They are where new ideas are exchanged, emerging trends are identified, and techniques are shared. Where marketers can be amongst themselves, reenergizing each other and stirring up those creative juices.
Of course, not all conferences are created equal.
Here are the top 10 marketing conferences to check out in 2022.
- Social Media Marketing World
- SXSW
- PubCon Florida
- MarTech
- The Conductor C3 Conference
- Marketing AI Conference (MAICON)
- INBOUND 2022
- B2B Marketing Expo
- Content Marketing World Conference and Expo
- Incite Group Brand Marketing & Digital Summit
1. MailCon
Mon, Mar 23, 2022 | Manhattan, New York
MailCon is an email conference that connects a global community of marketing professionals with the latest tech tools, trends, and strategies in email marketing, lead generation, marketing automation, and mobile and omnichannel marketing.If you’re looking to network with marketing leaders, joining the MailCon community is a sound move – especially if you’re searching for groundbreaking tools to streamline marketing initiatives to scale your business.
MailCon attendees benefit from making long-lasting connections with business leaders representing a diverse mix of industries, including leaders from the insurance, e-commerce, home services, and automotive verticals among others.
MailCon is owned and operated by Phonexa, the industry-leading lead management software and all-in-one marketing automation solution for calls, leads, clicks, email, SMS, accounting, and more.
2. Social Media Marketing World
Mon, Mar 14, 2022 – Wed, Mar 16, 2022 | San Diego, California
You can’t talk about marketing without social media, so it only makes sense that Social Media Marketing World makes our list. Sponsored by online publication Social Media Examiner, the annual conference draws over 5000 marketing pros and offers over 120 sessions on how to better leverage Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and all other social media channels.
It’s a conference you can’t miss if you’re looking to hone up on your social media marketing skills.
3. SXSW
March 11–20, 2022 | Austin, Texas
South by Southwest offers a wider, more diverse audience than your typical marketing conference. It attracts not only marketers, but also film enthusiasts, musicians, and artists of all kinds.
It’s still worth attending, however, as SXSW has tracks that will be infinitely helpful to marketers, including creating brand experiences and experiential storytelling. Marketing at its very core is about making people care about what you’re selling. The best way to do that is by controlling the narrative and writing your own story. South by Southwest can help you be better at that.
4. PubCon Florida
TBD
PubCon is one of the premier search conferences in the world. With over 19 years in the industry, they know what they’re talking about.
While social media marketing is covered, the conference focuses heavily on the latest trends and strategies in SEO, PPC, and Google Analytics. After all, what good is content if your customers can’t find it?
Sound a little too overwhelming? Think you might need some extra help?
No problem. PubCon Florida hosts the PubCon Masters Group Workshop on March 24 so that attendees can completely immerse themselves in a detail-oriented workshop on best techniques, practices, and strategies in digital marketing. If that’s not enough, the conference also offers PubCon Labs, where you get 15 minutes to ask speakers for business and marketing advice specific to your needs.
5. MarTech
TBD
MarTech is perfect for senior level marketers. It combines technology with marketing and management, so that attendees leave with a better understanding of how to integrate emerging technologies into their business and marketing strategies.
Marketing is an extremely competitive field. If there’s technology out there that can give you any sort of edge over the competition, you need to be taking full advantage of it. The biggest brands out there certainly agree. MarTech counts Best Buy, 3M, Hallmark, and HP amongst some of their previous attendees.
6. The Conductor C3 Conference
May 10-12, 2022 | New York, New York
Does the marketing industry sometimes feel like a cold, soulless wasteland to you? Do you feel like you’re not really contributing anything meaningful to the world? C3 helps remind marketers they don’t exist solely to push products – they are there to help people find solutions to problems.
Of course, it’s not just about finding your why. C3 also teaches marketers to turn this newly rediscovered passion and sense of purpose into creating organic media. Organic search yields the highest ROI among all other kinds of web traffic. By helping attendees understand who their potential market is, they are better equipped to create content that will address their target audience’s needs.
Past speakers at C3 include Internet sensation Gary V, as well as leaders from Google, Microsoft, and Amazon. With a lineup like that, you can be sure you’re going to be walking away with some very valuable information, as well as actionable insights.
7. Marketing AI Conference (MAICON)
August 3-5, 2022 | Cleveland, Ohio
As the name implies, MAICON is all about AI in marketing. It’s a conference dedicated to help marketers leverage AI and machine learning to matter better use of marketing software.
AI use in marketing is still very much in its infancy, and many marketers are struggling to understand how to actually implement this technology. If you’re looking to get ahead of the competition and add an AI element to enhance your human team’s marketing efforts, then this is a conference you simply cannot miss.
Previous conferences had representatives from MIT, Facebook, SoftBank Robotics and IBM, so you know they know what they’re talking about.
8. INBOUND 2022
TBD
Marketing conferences are no longer your typical serious, buttoned-up affairs. The people running them have realized that a happy marketer makes for a motivated marketer, which makes for an EFFECTIVE marketer. That’s why many conferences on this list are like giant parties for the industry, except that you still come away with things that will be useful in your business.
One such event is INBOUND. With comedy shows and happy hours, INBOUND doesn’t fit the typical marketing conference mold. You’re actually expected to have fun and enjoy yourself. Every year, over 20,000 marketing professionals get together at INBOUND to learn with and from each other, and take home actionable strategies and tactics in the process. With over 200 breakout sessions, there is something for you, regardless of what you’re looking for. It’s basically a giant networking and learning party, and you’re invited.
9. B2B Marketing Expo
April 6-7, 2022 | LA Convention Center
Everybody understands just how vital marketing is to any business. That’s why there’s absolutely no shortage of marketing solutions out there. Run a quick search online and you’ll soon be drowning in options. It can almost be too overwhelming.
The B2B Marketing Expo makes this process easier for everybody by gathering over 300 marketing business solutions under one roof, so that attendees can compare and contrast solutions over the course of the two-day expo. What’s more, breakout sessions cover everything from creating content and generating interest in your brand to using social media to its full potential.
And the best part? It’s free.
You’d typically pay hundreds of dollars for the information you can get at the B2B Marketing Expo. The fact they’re offering all of this for free should be reason enough to go. You literally have nothing to lose and everything to gain!
10. Content Marketing World Conference and Expo
September 13-16, 2022 | Cleveland, Ohio
We’ve all heard the phrase “Content Is King,” but at Content Marketing World, the organizers take this very seriously. The conference will cover literally everything content-related. You want to learn how to properly design a content marketing strategy? Check. Want to use technology to enhance your content marketing efforts? Got it.
Of course, you’ll also be taking away actionable insights on how to create quantifiably great content, and how to get the most out of it through strategy and analytics.
With over 120 workshops and 4000 content marketers, Content Marketing World is an excellent opportunity to learn more about your craft and build your network.
11. Incite Group Brand Marketing & Digital Summit
TBD
Specifically tailored for in-house brand marketers, The Brand Marketing & Digital Summit is all about keeping your brand relevant in a fast-paced and ultra-competitive marketplace.
Over 500 Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) from industry leaders including Budweiser and Adidas share their ideas on how to better craft your brand’s story and legacy, as well as share it for maximum reach. You’ll also learn more about your customers, and how to create lasting and authentic experiences with – and for – them.
The event is also an excellent place to do some major networking, as previous conferences have been well attended by the biggest brands in the world, including Forbes, Conde Nast, Google, and IKEA.
12. Social Fresh 2022
June 21-23 in Charlotte, North Carolina or online with virtual pass
Join a crew of fellow social leaders live and in-person. We’ll keep you focused and fueled up on today’s best-in-class social media.
Need to create better content (faster), increase organic engagement, grow your audience, or improve your content process?
Social Fresh is where you’ll learn these lessons and more. We pack 20+ industry experts and brand leaders into 3 days of no-fluff, educational sessions.
Expand Your Horizons and Empower Your Future
Any of these marketing conferences can be invaluable experiences for any marketer. There’s always something new and exciting to learn out there, whatever your skill and experience level is as a marketer.
If you want to stay on top of your game, then you should always be on the lookout for new techniques and new perspectives.
Any of these conferences can give you that.
