Marketing events are back.
Remember when they took a hit after every company was forced to go remote in 2020?
By now the marketing conference scene hasn’t just recovered. It’s grown more than ever, estimated to reach $2.2 billion in value by 2028.
Attending the right event feels like striking the perfect balance between your comfort zone and massive career development.
You get to socialize and chat about the topics you work on every day and, at the same time, the brightest minds in your industry are in the same room as you.
Whether you want to learn and discuss search engine optimization, social media marketing, AI, or paid ads, there are some events you can’t miss.
Here are the top marketing conferences to attend in 2024.
Why These Conferences Matter
There are two reasons why you should attend B2B marketing events.
The first one is that virtual fatigue is real, regardless of your role.
Most marketers spend their days sitting in front of a screen, analyzing data from SEO tools, writing new content, or scheduling posts in a social media calendar.
Going to an event gives you a break to hang out with other peers face-to-face, which matters a lot regardless of your role:
- If you’re a solo marketer, you can make new friends, build business partnerships, land new clients, or open a door for a future role.
- If you’re a digital marketing manager, the networking opportunities can help you discover new talent and scale your team.
The second reason is that events bring immense growth for your marketing career.
Why? Because top-tier conferences are a goldmine of innovation and growth.
You get to hear and talk to industry leaders shaping the future of online marketing, who have already overcome the same challenges you’re facing now.
And those experts aren’t there just to deliver keynotes.
In most cases, keynote speakers also grew thanks to building networks and connections, just like you can do at the event.
See how Tim Sanders, a bestselling author and former Yahoo executive, puts it:
“Your network is your net worth.”–Tim Sanders.
Why Bother Going to In-Person Events?
Attending a digital marketing conference implies spending money on tickets, flights, accommodation, lunch, and more.
Can’t you just do the same in an online event, for less?
The truth is that, as much as they can help you learn new tactics, you simply miss a lot of the networking experience if you don’t have in-person interactions.
That’s why two-thirds of events and meetings have reverted to offline formats.
Here’s what you get from in-person events:
- Marketing knowledge and tactics: At these events, you hear first-hand experiences from marketing leaders and creators, making it easy to return with fresh strategies to apply to your work
- Connections and partnerships: Most events focus on networking and connecting you with peers. This gives you the chance to meet other marketers for advice, insights, or feedback on your ideas
- Inspiration: Attendees are genuinely interested in the main topics of the event. You’ll get an immense push forward that motivates you to tackle career challenges or aim for a promotion
How We Chose the Top 10 Conferences
Of course, not every event is worth paying for.
Here are the criteria we use to pick the most impactful marketing conferences for 2024:
- Quality of the speakers: These conferences have an impressive lineup of speakers with a track record of marketing success
- Networking opportunities: These events make networking easy, with a focus on roundtables, parties, or coffee and lunch breaks, instead of just keynotes
- Cutting-edge keynotes: Events should help you stay on top of marketing trends. These events cover the most innovative, up-to-date, and actionable topics
- Size: Conferences with thousands of attendees make it difficult to network. Smaller crowds make it easier to get the most out of the agenda and find valuable contacts
1. Spotlight by Semrush
Date: October 30, 2024
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands (In-person)
Key Topics: Digital marketing, SEO, AI, advertising, social media, content marketing, and marketing strategies
Featured Speakers: Elfried Samba (Butterfly 3ffect and ex-Gymshark), Sophie Miller (Pretty Little Marketer), Michael Corcoran (Frankly and ex-Ryanair), Mike King (iPullRank), Jon Evans (Uncensored CMO), and many others
What’s unique about it: The one-day accelerator format, featuring 60+ best-in-class speakers, 10+ keynote presentations, and 50+ mastermind sessions, all packed into a single event
Who is it for: Marketers, creators, agencies, business leaders, and anyone looking to gain a competitive edge in the digital marketing landscape
Let’s start with Spotlight, Semrush’s marketing conference.
What makes Spotlight special is its core proposal: you come with marketing challenges and leave with a plan and a community of peers.
To make that happen, the Spotlight agenda combines 60+ speakers, 10 keynote presentations, 50+ mastermind sessions, and 500+ marketers looking to turn ideas into action.
The idea is for you to focus on the topics you're passionate about and customize your conference experience to address your specific marketing challenges.
This is an intimate event focusing on very high-impact networking and personalized sessions so that you connect with the right people. On top of that, you also get a pre-event party and post-event cocktail.
Want more proof?
Here’s what other marketers say about past Semrush events:
“The topics were current, and the speakers provided valuable insight and advice on how to maneuver through these challenging times. I've never left a conference feeling this motivated.”– Megan C.
2. South by Southwest (SXSW)
Date: March 8-16, 2024
Location: Austin, Texas (In-person)
Key topics: Tech, marketing innovation, film, music, education, and culture
Featured speakers: Peter Deng (OpenAI), Dara Khosrowshahi (Uber), Ed Bastian (Delta), Dwayne Wade, and Selena Gomez
What’s unique about it: The blend of marketing with technology and arts, an immersive festival experience, and lots of cross-industry networking opportunities
Who is it for: Marketers, content creators, innovators in tech and entrepreneurship, and anyone interested in the convergence of tech, marketing, and creativity
South by Southwest (SXSW) is much more than a marketing event.
Instead, it congregates both film, interactive media, and music festivals.
Focusing on the marketing area of SXSW, the event itself is full of thought-provoking keynotes and discussions around the future of advertising and tech.
Panel speakers come from varied backgrounds, and that makes this event a rare instance where you can hear talks from J.J. Abrams, Meghan Markle, Sydney Sweeney, and the world’s leading innovators in the same place.
3. Online Marketing Rockstars (OMR)
Date: May 7-8, 2024
Location: Hamburg, Germany (In-person)
Key Topics: Entrepreneurship, Digital marketing, online advertising, tech, and innovation
Featured Speakers: Valentin Stalf (N26), David Schneider (Zalando), Delicia Lachance (Westwing), Blake Chandler (TikTok)
What’s unique about it: Its massive expo with a vibrant atmosphere blending marketing insights with entertainment
Who is it for: Digital marketers, entrepreneurs, tech enthusiasts, and anyone looking to be inspired by cutting-edge marketing practices
The OMR festival is a two-day marketing event that draws over 70000 visitors every year.
With such a large venue, it becomes difficult to navigate without a map. This can make OMR overwhelming–if you want to get the most out of it, get ready for two intense days of keynotes!
One of the reasons for its size is the fact that OMR also has an expo show with companies like Google, Amazon, and Meta, and a separate area for masterclasses on marketing topics.
4. AWSummit Bucharest
Date: September 12-15, 2024
Location: Bucharest, Romania (In-person)
Key Topics: Affiliate marketing, monetization platforms, content creation, social media, and ecommerce.
Featured Speakers: Sasha Vitez (Google), Anna Gita (Maxweb), Francis Wolff (Digistore24)
What’s unique about it: The focus on emerging markets, the tailored sessions addressing marketing challenges, and the two-sided network of affiliates and creators
Who is it for: Content creators and marketers in areas like affiliate marketing, ecommerce, SEO, social media, or email
AWSummit is a marketing conference with a narrower focus on affiliate marketing, performance marketing, ad networks, and content marketing.
What makes it stand out is the combination of mainstream and non-mainstream industries. Despite being niche, it’s grown from a small conference born in 2014 to a three-day event with over 2000 attendees now.
It’s also got a balanced agenda with keynotes and panels, seminars, and networking opportunities that range from boat parties to executive lunches and speed presentations.
5. DMEXCO
Date: September 18-19, 2024
Location: Cologne, Germany (In-person)
Key Topics: Digital marketing, ecommerce, tech, and innovation
Featured Speakers: Sylvain Le Borgne (JCDecaux), Nadine Bartenschlager (NIVEA), Dora Osinde (Ogilvy Germany), Susanne Franz (Volkswagen)
What’s unique about it: The giant exhibition with cutting-edge tech showcases, numerous networking events, and 200+ hours of sessions on digital marketing trends.
Who is it for: Marketers, tech enthusiasts, ecommerce professionals, and anyone interested in the intersection of marketing and technology
Rather than focusing on a specific vertical within marketing, DMEXCO is an event that encompasses digital marketing and tech as a whole.
What’s most valuable about DMEXCO is its conference, where industry leaders, marketing professionals, and tech pioneers talk on groundbreaking topics around digital business.
It features 800+ speakers and 14 different stages, so if you want to watch lots of them, set some time aside to go through the event’s recordings.
But there’s more: the event also hosts an expo where companies like Google, Netflix, Amazon, Shopify, and others share their latest trends and product announcements.
6. INBOUND
Date: September 18-20, 2024
Location: Boston, Massachusetts (In-person and virtual)
Key Topics: Inbound marketing, sales strategies, AI, operations, and customer success
Featured Speakers: Kieran Flanagan (HubSpot), Shannon Duffy (Asana), Alex Lieberman (Morning Brew), Sam Jacobs (Pavilion), Ryan Reynolds
What’s unique about it: The impressive lineup of keynote speakers, the large amount of individual sessions, and the personalized sessions crafted for specific roles
Who is it for: Marketers, sales and customer success professionals, entrepreneurs, and anyone looking to get more from inbound marketing
INBOUND is Hubspot’s conference, combining keynotes with workshops, networking, and HubSpot product announcements.
This is one of the most packed conferences in this guide, with 200+ speakers and 180+ individual sessions.
Such a packed lineup can be overwhelming, so the event also has hand-picked agendas that are more specific to certain roles, like AI-driven leaders, startup founders, or content marketers.
7. BrightonSEO UK
Date: October 3-4, 2024
Location: Brighton, United Kingdom (In-person)
Key Topics: SEO, search marketing, data analysis, and content optimization
Featured Speakers: Marcus Tober (Semrush), Sujata Ghosh (Dyson), Tom Winter (SEOwind)
What’s unique about it: The fact that it’s focused on search marketing, bringing together some of the best speakers in the industry.
Who is it for: SEO professionals, digital marketers, data analysts, and anyone looking to improve their marketing skills
BrightonSEO is the world’s largest search marketing conference. It originally started as a chat in a small room above a pub, organized by Kelvin Newman.
Now, BrightonSEO now receives over 6000 attendees from all over the world.
Its formula combines SEO workshops, training sessions, and keynotes from renowned speakers like John Mueller (Google) or Olga Andrienko (Semrush).
A huge bonus point is that you can attend BrightonSEO for free: with a ballot ticket, you get to enter one of the two days of the event.
8. Content Marketing World
Date: October 22-23, 2024
Location: San Diego, California (In-person)
Key Topics: Content marketing, storytelling, AI, and content creation
Featured Speakers: Lane Scott Jones (Zapier), Amanda Natividad (SparkToro), Robert Rose (Content Marketing Institute).
What’s unique about it: The dense agenda with 150+ marketing leaders, communications experts, and creators sharing keynotes with a laser-sharp focus on content marketing
Who is it for: Content marketers, content creators, marketing agencies, creative professionals, or anyone interested in communication
Content Marketing World is a 72-hour long conference that gathers thousands of marketers and over 150 best-in-class experts to discuss new tactics and strategies.
The entire event revolves around one proposition: To be the place for actionable takeaways on content marketing, no matter your role–from brand managers to content creators and everyone in between.
9. BrightonSEO San Diego
Date: November 19-20, 2024
Location: San Diego, California (In-person)
Key Topics: SEO, search marketing, data analysis, and content optimization
Featured Speakers: Andy Crestodina (Orbit Media Studios), Louisa Frahm (ESPN), Rand Fishkin (SparkToro)
What’s unique about it: Its practical, hands-on sessions, in-depth SEO training, and opportunities for one-on-one mentoring with SEO experts
Who is it for: SEO professionals, digital marketers, and data analysts
BrightonSEO San Diego is the US version of the original UK event, combining online events, training workshops, keynotes, and keynotes from the world’s best search marketers.
The event already stands out for its keynote speakers, but when you add in the pleasant San Diego climate and the Pacific Ocean views of the venue, this conference is too good to miss.
10. DigiMarCon
Date: Various dates throughout 2024
Location: Multiple locations across America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the Pacific (In-person and virtual)
Key Topics: Digital marketing, growth hacking, content marketing, email marketing, SEO, and more
Featured Speakers: Rand Fishkin (Sparktoro), Nadia Tan (Meta), Fernando Angulo (Semrush), Ashley Faus (Atlassian)
What’s unique about it: The global reach and international format spanning across 18 countries and the diversity of topics covering the full spectrum of digital marketing
Who is it for: Digital marketers, social media managers, SEO specialists, analytics professionals, and anyone looking to learn about content marketing, email marketing, influencer marketing, and other areas
DigiMarCon is a conference and exhibition series, with in-person events across 18 countries.
It’s a legendary conference and, by now, it’s also grown into hundreds of virtual events and even a DigiMarCon cruise (yes, the perfect excuse for taking a break from work).
The best part about it? Since it brings marketers from so many areas, every edition focuses on a myriad of topics, from social media marketing, SEO, or conversion rate optimization to UX design, paid search marketing, and more.
How to Make the Most of Your Conference Experience
Attending an event full of marketing leaders and keynote speakers can be intimidating.
You find yourself surrounded by experts who have a track record of companies and projects. Having the initiative to talk and network with them (and any attendees) takes some courage.
On top of that, there’s lots of information to absorb in each keynote. Some events in this list have hundreds of hours worth of talks.
But don’t worry–we got your back!
Here’s how to maximize your conference experience:
Preparing for the conference
Getting ready for the conference is key to getting the most out of it.
First of all, look at the agenda and pick the sessions and workshops that are the most relevant to your role and current challenges.
Does the agenda show speakers? If so, look them up on LinkedIn or Google to get a sense of what you might learn from them.
Networking can feel intimidating, but you can start doing it even before the conference begins.
That’s why connecting with speakers is a great way to break the ice and have some familiar faces to look out for.
Here’s an example: if you’re attending Spotlight, you can connect with Sophie Miller with an invitation that explains how you’re excited to hear her keynote.
This way, it’s easier to combine attending keynotes and connecting with peers who might help you propel your career forward.
Once you’ve picked your favorite sessions to attend, try to align them with your company and career goals.
What do you want to get out of them?
How will they help you sharpen your skills, discover new strategies, or find valuable partnerships?
The next step before the conference begins is building your schedule.
Some conferences can be hectic, with hundreds of speakers. Try to prioritize the keynotes, workshops, and activities you don’t want to miss.
Lastly, don’t forget to bring your essentials for learning and networking, like a notebook, your laptop, or some business cards.
Learning and networking during the event
Once you’re at the conference, it’s time to dive into conversations, social gatherings, and even informal coffee breaks.
After attending the keynotes and talks you’ve shortlisted, make sure you introduce yourself and ask questions when meeting peers who were interested in the same topics.
If you meet a marketer or keynote speaker who can be a valuable connection, make sure to follow up with a LinkedIn or Twitter message or a quick email to thank them for the chat.
If possible, make the connection even more memorable by mentioning a specific topic you talked about. Showing genuine interest in them can lead to great conversations.
What’s next after the conference ends?
After the conference, your job is to revisit all the insights you’ve gained.
Go through your notes, highlight the key takeaways, and propose new tactics that you want to apply to your role right away.
Remember to reach out to your new contacts before too much time passes. A simple thank-you note can go a long way to keep the relationship alive.
Most of these conferences are very active on LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social media.
Stay engaged with the community by commenting on post-event discussions and joining forums (like the INBOUND one).
This can open even more opportunities for career growth through learning and networking with experts.
Budgeting and Convincing Your Boss
Marketing events can be quite expensive, and prices often range from $200 to $1500 for standard tickets.
If you want VIP experiences, which might include private dinners or one-to-one consultations and workshops, then ticket prices can easily jump to over $2500.
On top of this, don’t forget travel and accommodation (which can be costly depending on the event location), meals, transportation, and extras like post-event drinks.
Attending a conference is an investment. In turn, to get your company and manager to sponsor your trip you need to justify its return on investment (ROI).
Luckily, we’re here to help. Here’s how to create a proposal to convince your company:
- Write a detailed breakdown of all costs. Document the budget needed to attend the conference, including tickets, travel, accommodation, and any other expenses
- Highlight the benefits of attending. Explain how the event is related to your company’s business goals. This explains how attending will be good for you and for your manager too
- Connect keynotes with your current work. Point out the sessions, keynote speakers, and workshops that align with the projects you’re working on
- Find opportunities for your entire company. Highlight the speakers, sponsors, or attendees who could help your manager find new leads, meet partners, discover new talent, or scale your team
- Make a plan to come back with valuable insights. Offer to share your learnings with a presentation or report, so that the whole team benefits from your attendance
Pro Tip: Offer to minimize costs where possible. To do this, buy early-bird tickets, share your accommodation with other team members who attend, or pick budget-friendly travel options that make your proposal more appealing.
Join the Right Event to Change Your Career Trajectory
Being in the same room with the right marketing leaders can change your career forever.
These events are the place to discover best practices that take your skillset to new heights, build connections that turn into business opportunities, or find inspiration that turns into marketing career growth.
To make that happen, you need to pick the right conference, prepare ahead of it, and arrive with a “ready-to-network” mindset.
Tie all the tactics and trends you’ve gained with your business goals and your entire team will understand the tangible value that B2B marketing events bring.
Don’t miss out on these conferences–especially Spotlight by Semrush in Amsterdam, designed to help marketers illuminate the path from ideas to real-world impact!