Do you know how many marketing events there are in North America next year?
Thousands.
Do you know how many I can afford?
Not enough!
If I had an unlimited budget—and unlimited time—I would’ve picked all of them. But I don’t, so I’ve found the best marketing conferences of 2017 based on cost, value, and timing.
Pretty soon this list began to take on a life of its own, and now it’s too good to keep to myself!
So here are the events that made the cut, listed in no particular order.
The Best Marketing Conferences of 2017
1. Content Marketing World 2017
Hosted by: Content Marketing Institute
Date: September 5-8, 2017
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Ticket Price: Registration is not yet open, but you can sign up to be notified here.
Content Marketing World, or CMWorld, is a premier conference for content marketers. In 2017, it will feature over 80 sessions and workshops presented by the leading brand marketers from around the world covering strategy, integration, measurement, and more.
If you’re a content marketer looking to learn and network with the best and the brightest, this is not one to miss!
2. Inbound 2017
Hosted by: Hubspot
Date: September 25-28, 2017
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Ticket Price: $299 Community Pass, $799 All-Access Pass, $1,299 VIP Package*
*All prices increase after Jan 15, 2017
Inbound is one of the biggest tentpole events of the year. Each time, Hubspot gathers the best and brightest in the content marketing field to share their experiences and provide insight into how and why content marketing delivers value to customers—without the hard sell.
Inbound isn’t just useful, it’s also a heap of fun. Hubspot goes out of its way to provide extra-curricular activities and entertainment for its attendees.
3. Dx3 Canada 2017
Hosted by: Dx3
Date: March 8-9, 2017
Location: Toronto, Canada
Ticket Price: 2-for-1 Promo. 2 tickets for $500
Dx3 is one of the premier Canadian conferences on digital marketing, with topics on everything from nurturing campaigns to web video to data management. There’s also an active tradeshow floor with dozens of exhibitors who specialize in the digital space.
Take advantage of the two-for-one sale, because you won’t have time to attend all the seminars. It’s common for groups of attendees split up among different sessions and gather to compare notes at the end of the day.
4. DIGIMARCON WORLD
Hosted by: DIGIMARCON
Date: Nov 14-16, 2017
Location: Online
Ticket Price: $195 (50% off)
DIGIMARCON is an organization that hosts at least five live marketing events in various global locations, like Singapore, Toronto, and even on a cruise ship in Florida. But for those of us who don’t have travel money to burn, DIGIMARCON is also putting all of the most valuable learnings and presentations together into one virtual tradeshow at the end of the year.
This is perfect for my busy schedule, because I can cherry-pick the most valuable content from five different events from the comfort of my office. If you’ve got a tight travel budget, this is probably the one for you.
5. 2017 B2B Marketing Forum
Hosted by: MarketingProfs
Date: October 3-6, 2017
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Ticket Price: $1,095 Conference-only Pass*, $1,995 All-Access Pass*
*Discounts for PRO Members
This is one of the pricier events on my list, but it’s too good not to include. The folks at MarketingProfs always hit it out of the park with a strong lineup of speakers, pre-seminar workshops on topics like content marketing and SEO, and plenty of opportunities to network with like-minded peers.
The only downside (if you can call it that) is that it’s tightly focused on B2B. B2C marketers can still find some value, but not as much as other B2C-centric events. If you can find the budget for it, I highly recommend attending.
6. Advocamp 2017
Hosted by: Influitive
Date: December 6-8, 2017
Location: San Francisco, California
Ticket Price: $999 Early-bird ticket, $1,299 Regular Ticket
If you’ve ever wished your customers did more to promote your brand, then Advocamp is the conference for you! This three-day session focuses exclusively on turning your existing customers into an army of passionate champions.
You’ll get to hear case studies from brands who’ve already done it—and done it right. You’ll also get advice on how to develop your own advocate marketing program.
7. MozCon 2017
Hosted by: Moz
Date: February 27-28, 2017
Location: Seattle, Washington
Ticket Price: $1,148 Early Bird General Admission
MozCon smacks of everything Rand Fishkin: intelligent, insightful, and enjoyably quirky. Whether you’re looking for a basic education on SEO and digital marketing best practices, or deeper insight into search engine algorithms, MozCon has got you covered.
8. Brightcove Play
Hosted by: Brightcove
Date: May 22-23, 2017
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Video is the new black. Nearly every study on video stresses how valuable a tool it is for both B2C and B2B marketers. That’s why events like Brightcove Play are so important.
It doesn’t matter if you’re just considering video marketing or already have a video marketing strategy in place. Brightcove Play will be able to provide value for marketers no matter what their interest is: video production, video strategy, social media integration—Brightcove Play has it all.
9. The Email Design Conference 2017
Hosted by: Litmus
Date: August 2-4, 2017
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
People have been claiming it for years, but the fact of the matter is that email is not going away. In fact, some studies have shown that email usage is stronger than ever.
At TEDC 2017, you’ll see how to stop treating email like a pariah and make it the linchpin of your nurturing, remarketing, awareness, engagement, and retention strategies—without annoying your customers with spam.
10. Big Data and Analytics for Marketing Summit 2017
Hosted by: The Innovation Enterprise
Date: December 7-8, 2017
Location: New York City, New York
Ticket Price: $995 One-Day Pass, $1,795 Gold Pass*, $2,395 All-Access*
*Early-bird Pricing
I have to admit, the name doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. But big data is becoming ever-more crucial with every passing year, and it’s irresponsible for marketers to be ignorant of the concept.
You shouldn’t be intimidated; you should be excited. Proper collection and analysis of big data can deliver powerful marketing insights that shape your overall strategy. This summit will orient you on the basics of big data, what the possibilities are, and what you need to do to leverage it for your business.
11. ConversionXL Live 2017
Hosted by: ConversionXL
Date: April 5-7, 2017
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Ticket Price: $799 Event ticket (no hotel)
The ConversionXL conference is ideal for the more technically minded marketers: those who think in terms of information architecture, site design, and user experience. This is not for the faint of heart: it’s meant for marketers interested in the more practical, nuts-and-bolts aspects of their job.
Those of you who want to get the most out of the event can register for the optional pre-conference workshops that deal with topics like UX strategy and conversion research and testing.
12. Spark 2017
Hosted by: TrackMaven
Date: May 18, 2017
Location: Washington, D.C.
Ticket Price: $399 Early Bird Ticket
Creativity is what I love most about marketing, but creativity for creativity’s sake does not benefit the business in any way. That’s why TrackMaven is hosting Spark, a tradeshow that celebrates creativity in marketing, but the kind that’s backed by data and analytics.
Spark 2017 will focus on cutting-edge marketing technologies and data-driven strategies for success. You’ll enjoy behind-the-scenes looks into awe-inspiring campaigns and discover the people and strategies that made them happen.
Whatever your marketing strategy is focused on this year, whether video, SEO, or all of the above, rest assured that there is a conference ready to accommodate you.
So let’s get packing!
Have another amazing 2017 marketing conference you want to share? Tell us about it in the comments!
All prices and promos are current as of this writing.
Interested in learning more about Spark 2017? Register now to save your seat for this special event!