Top Ten Events for Content Marketers in 2017

Author Fran Lebowitz once said, â€Å"you’re only as good as your last haircut.† This also rings true with content marketing– the industry is always changing and using last year’s strategies won’t necessarily cut it this year. You can stay up-to-date on the latest trends with blog posts and webinars. But sometimes, in order to take your skills to the next level, you need to get out and see what the innovators of our industry are doing. With so many content marketing conferences to choose from, we’ve selected ten of the best North American events we think will educate and inspire you in 2017. Altitude Summit Palm Springs, California: January 31 – February 3 Created for entrepreneurs and content creators, the Altitude Summit is perfect for smaller businesses, bloggers and content marketers. Network with other content creators and learn from various experts at the forefront of content marketing. Key Speakers: Martha Stewart, Businesswoman and TV Personality Jessica Alba, Actress, Model and Businesswoman Ben Silbermann, CEO, Pinterest Luvvie Ajayi, Speaker and Digital Strategist Sarah Michelle Gellar, Actress, Producer and Entrepreneur Content2Conversion Scottsdale, Arizona: February 20 – 22 With over 800 marketers in attendance, the Content2Conversion conference is set in beautiful surroundings and provides the perfect backdrop for content marketing experts to learn, socialize and share ideas. The keynote speaker is Jonah Berger, bestselling author of â€Å"Contagious: Why Things Catch On.† As well as the numerous talks, you can test drive the latest content tools and apps and get an insider’s look at award-winning content strategies from previous content award winners. Key Speakers: Jonah Berger, Author, â€Å"Contagious: Why Things Catch On† Jeff Marcoux, CMO Lead for Worldwide Enterprise Marketing, Microsoft Dave Bruno, Marketing Director, Aptos Chip Woerner, Vice President of Marketing Operations, Oracle Rebecca Lieb, Author, â€Å"The Truth About Search Engine Optimization and Content Marketing† Digital Marketing Innovation Summit New York: March 8 – 9 Featuring over 25 industry expert keynote presentations, 25 case studies presented from Fortune 500 companies and attended by more than 150 digital marketing leaders. Join in with the interactive workshops in social and content strategy and watch all the presentations on demand after the summit. It’s the ideal place to learn how to develop brand loyalty and refine your audience engagement strategy. Alexander Chung, Vice President Marketing, BuzzFeed Scott Stanchak, MD, Mobile Marketing, The New York Times Mindy Stockfield, SVP, Marketing, Viacom Kids Family Group Teal Newland, Senior Vice President, Marketing Partner Management, Condà © Nast Jerome Hiquet, Chief Marketing Officer, Tough Mudder Adobe Summit Las Vegas: March 19 – 23 This is one of the leading conferences for digital marketing professionals looking to attract and engage more customers. With hundreds of experts in attendance and over 200 sessions and workshops, you’ll learn the latest tools and trends in digital marketing that you’re most interested in. Key Sessions: Cross-channel Marketing Customer Experience Data-driven Marketing Mobile Marketing Programmatic Advertising Intelligent Content Conference Las Vegas: March 28 – 30 Hosted by the Content Marketing Institute, this conference is specifically designed for content creators and publishers. With around 400 attendees, and courses ranging from beginner to advanced, there’s something for everyone. Topics include how to scale content production, reusing and repurposing legacy content and the diffusion of content across platforms. Key Speakers: Carlos Abler, Leader of Online Content Strategy, 3M Global eTransformation Ardath Albee, B2B Marketing Strategist and CEO, Marketing Interactions, Inc. Katerina Neal, Head of Content Marketing, Cisco Joe Pulizzi, Founder, Content Marketing Institute Paul Poetzer, Founder and CEO, PR 20/20 Digimarcon Cruise Port Canaveral, Florida: April 16 – 23 Want to learn new skills while you soak up the sun on a Caribbean island? Set aboard a cruise ship, this conference features some of the best speakers in the digital marketing arena. Learn how to build traffic and brand awareness, improve customer experience, develop your social media and analytics skills and so much more. It’s the perfect setting to meet new people, gain new insights and become inspired. If you can’t make the cruise, Digimarcon also hosts marketing events in New York, Toronto and Santa Monica, from early May to mid-June. Key Speakers: Aaron Polmeer, CEO Cruise Host, Search Experiences Ronell Smith, Associate, Moz Jena Apgar, Founder, Brand Dot Blog Shevy Shafie, Chief Executive Officer, Marstudio Bruce May, Chief Executive Officer, Axix Group Nashville, Tennessee: April 19 -21 Bringing together some of the world’s top marketers to share tips and stories, Marketing United is packed with sessions and expert speakers to keep you up to date on the latest content marketing developments. Key Speakers: TBD MozCon Seattle, Washington: July 17 – 19 Expect around 800 people to attend this less formal event. Over three days, you can enjoy actionable advice from industry leaders in SEO, social media, content marketing, brand development, analytics and more. Chat with the speakers, meet Moz staff and connect with other like-minded content marketers. Key Speakers: Alex Stein, Wayfair Pete Meyers, Moz Joanna Wiebe, Copy Hackers, Justine Jordan, Litmus Kristen Craft, Wistia LeadsCon New York: August 21 – 23 With more of a focus on B2B lead generation, LeadsCon is attended each year by more than 2000 professionals looking for insights into lead generation, SEO, conversions and website optimization. As well as special events, workshops and a long list of speakers, it’s a great networking opportunity. Note: On Monday, August 22 join content marketing expert Michael Brenner (CEO, Marketing Insider Group) for a three-hour workshop entitled: â€Å"Building a Content Marketing Plan that Converts.† Key Speakers: TBD Content Marketing World Cleveland, Ohio: September 5 – 8 This is one of the largest content marketing conferences in the world, with over 150 sessions and 200 speakers. Hosted by the Content Marketing Institute, it gives marketing professionals one of the best opportunities to learn new skills and network with the best in the industry. In 2015, Kevin Spacey was the keynote speaker – this year’s speakers are still to be announced. Key Speakers: TBD Over to You Before you consider which conferences will be best to visit, think about what your key marketing goals are, take a look at the detailed agendas listed on each conference website and read the feedback from past attendees. So what are you waiting for? Clear your calendar, pack your bags and hit the road to make your content marketing more effective!