I hope you get some good answers from your peers! Are you attending any this year or keeping your eye on some?

I’m trying to strategically choose one this year. Looking at a few. Content Marketing World, Inbound, and the virtual Social Media Strategies Summit are on the list. Would love to get some ideas from others in this space though!

In the past I’ve attended Social Media Marketing World in San Diego and Midwest Digital Marketing Conference in St. Louis. I’ve found a lot of benefit from both events.

SMMW is a huge and that can be overwhelming if you’re more introverted. I would also say some of the content can fall on the more beginner/intermediate side. But absolutely love the people here and there are always some great nuggets to take away from the sessions. Lots of options!

MDMC is much smaller but goes more broad on digital marketing as the topic. It’s good to hear the integration of social to the rest of the digital space and delve into topics you might not normally get at a social media focused event. 

I’ve found conferences that are focused on my specific industry to be helpful as well. I’m in the nonprofit space, so I’m attending the Nonprofit Tech Conference and Communications Network. 

I’ve attended Social Media Week in New York in the past, and this year I’ll be attending digitally (much easier and cheaper, but maybe not as engaging? We’ll see). I’ve also attended the ANA Multicultural Marketing & Diversity Conference virtually and found some value in that (but it’s also a lot of brands bragging about themselves and not as much helpful content as I’d like).

I like the idea of industry-specific conferences too but wonder if that would be too niche. One thing I struggle with at conferences in general is that most content seems to be geared towards businesses that are B2C and have a physical product to sell, whereas my organization provides services (leadership development training). Anyone have particular luck with something in the B2B or more abstract, service-based space?

I’ve been to Social Media Marketing World twice and Content World three times. I’d definitely return to Content World as I’ve found it most useful. There’s a great community around them and I find useful speakers, not chest beater gurus.

Last year I attended Social Fresh virtually but it’s not happening again this year. This year, I’ll be attending Adweek Social Media Week in NYC which happens in a few weeks! Will report back on my thoughts 

Has anyone attended VidCon? My coworker and I made the case for it because our professional development fund would have covered everything except the flight/hotel and we got denied. (Also because nobody in our organizational understands social… shocker). Has anyone been and is it beneficial?

Requested attendance from professional dev funds to Content Marketing World. I’m in the nonprofit space as well, so also did NTEN’s conference recently. Have done Social Media Week and always find that one to be pretty good.

I have attended the Social Media Shakeup in Atlanta in the past which was fabulous but looks like they don't’ have it this year. I am looking at Content Marketing World but they don’t have the final schedule up yet. 

I usually attend PRSA ICON each year and really enjoy it. Not all focused on social media, which I prefer because I can continue to sharpen my other comms/marketing skills.

+1 for VidCon @erin.chapman 

I found VidCon to be my favorite Social Media Conference. It’s just an amazing format with the ability to check out what audiences are interested from their perspective as well as check out the Creator track to see what creators are working on or worried about these days.

I also love the opportunity to meet up with creators, or their management teams during that week. And the industry track is unique because normally all of the panels hold a Q&A where you can hear from them what plans are for brands and creators in the coming months.

Feel free me to DM me with other questions, I’m not going this year, but I’ve attended is years past.

I’m late to this thread but I’ll be attending VidCon in Anaheim this year (attended last year and in 2019 as well!) Industry track is a fantastic professional development source for SMMs. If anyone is going please send me a DM!

I am trying to convince my boss to let me go to SMMW. I think the problem at the moment is they don’t have any sessions info available.