Stop wasting 100’s of hours reading endless blog posts and watching “guru” courses. They won’t magically turn you into a marketing expert.

Are the “5 Easy Steps to Marketing” really going to turn you pro overnight?

These things can help you get the gist, but there’s a lot more out there.

Enter Growth Marketing Conferences 👋:

Go in person and learn applicable tactics and strategies to implement. Plus, meet some of the marketing greats! These conferences really bring a great return on investment if done right.

We’ve spent years attending and speaking at growth marketing conferences. As a result, we’ve learned a few things that have been pivotal for our growth (and clients).

It’s all about the network.

Whether you own an eCom business or lead a digital marketing agency, you must always be open to learning more, expanding your horizons, and testing new strategies.

HINT: Growth marketing conferences are a great way to do this.

It’s pretty simple, surround yourself and listen to the best in the business. The hard work is done – someone rallied the best, and put them in one place for you to access. That’s what growth marketing conferences are all about. 

It’s not all about the content, that’s available everywhere, it’s the people and network you build.

Methods of Learning

When you’re attending a growth marketing conference, you’re diving right into the knowledge pool. It’s an opportunity for proper hands-on learning and asking questions.

And this is crucial. 

Take it from an expert. If you want to be at the top of your game, you have to roll up your sleeves and learn + execute.

In the marketing business, it’s vital to keep pushing the boundaries and search for new perspectives and strategies. Currently, there are a few viable ways to keep up with trends in growth marketing.

Read Online Content & Case Studies

Top marketers are constantly learning from other top marketers.

They follow content from expert marketing bloggers. Also, they read about new growth strategies and learn about upcoming marketing tools. Moreover, case studies are REAL results from their strategy and execution. If you don’t follow a similar blog already, our blog is a good place to start. 

Watch Webinars & Courses

Webinars are another way to digest a ton of new information. Most of the time, successful marketers use webinars to share their stories, data-driven insights, and tactics.

If you’re interested in such content, you can check out a webinar we did recently for Shopify.

Listen to Podcasts

Podcasts are usually pretty up to date as episodes are constantly coming out. However, that’s its downside as well. There are plenty to choose from (maybe too much learning)!

There’s podcasts with people talking about podcast marketing!

It’s definitely worth doing. Especially if you can find industry-specific podcasts – you will hear some gold gems!

Consume Social Posts

Social posts are not as in-depth as some of the other options. But you can get great bite-sized content from social posts.

Find someone who is industry-relevant and providing a lot of value. One graphic can sum up a whole book!

Attend Conferences & Watch Recordings

A growth marketing conference is a full package. You’ll get all of the above such as valuable knowledge and listening to seasoned marketers in person. But there are some other benefits that you maybe weren’t aware of.

We have attended our fair share of similar conferences in the past (as both guest speakers and visitors). Our take? it was mostly a 2-5x more valuable experience compared to one-sided learning (above options). 

Now that we have remote learning out of the way we can focus on the benefits of conferences and in-person meetings.

Why Should You Attend Growth Marketing Conferences?

We know how it goes. You spend tons of time on trial and error, making mistakes, and it often makes you feel frustrated or desperate.

What if we told you there’s a way to avoid all that?

Growth marketing conference is a gateway to insider knowledge that will help you establish a competitive edge. You will gain expert connections, learn new tips and tricks, and find potential partnership opportunities. 

According to Bizzabo, most business leaders (roughly 85%) believe that events like these are vital for the success of their business.

Reasons to Attend

First of all, it’s a massive learning experience as marketing teaches you to always remain humble. As you start listening to other perspectives, you realize how much more you can do for your business. 

Also, it’s always a source of new creative bursts and ideas. 

Your imagination can sometimes hit a stalemate and all it takes is a little push. You’ll listen to stories from your peers and other experts and be able to ask questions. Moreover, there’s a chance to see realtime examples so you may get just the nudge you need.

You’ll get to exchange ideas, ask questions, grasp new concepts, network, and maybe even solidify a new partnership or mentor. Today you meet at the event; tomorrow you continue your conversation on LinkedIn or over a cup of coffee.

Finally, it’s your chance to hear from some of the best in the business. Ask the crucial questions that will help your company grow. This is the best time to meet them. An in-person meeting is much more memorable than a cold email.

So if you haven’t thought about attending a conference before, you should think twice. You’re missing out!

Yes some of them can be expensive, but is an investment in 1. Your employers and team and 2. Your business.  You can start with asking to volunteer or looking at local events if price is an issue and then your way to some of the bigger conferences. 

Here are some of our favorites and ones you should consider attending.

Best Growth Marketing Conferences

MozCon 

If you’re a digital marketer, you’ve probably heard of Moz. What started out as a community for digital marketers and content managers became one of the most widespread SEO tools. They even have discussion groups to attend!

Therefore, attending MozCon allows beginners and seasoned marketers to share the field with some of the best marketers in the industry.  

Either way, you’ll leave MozCon rejuvenated, with fresh ideas and a new approach to content marketing. 

Like many others, MozCon moved their conference online due to the present circumstances.

• Category: Search engine marketing
  
• When: July 14-15, 2020
  
• Where: Virtual 
  
• What to expect: Masters of digital marketing craft such as Brian Dean and Andy Crestodina. Online discussion groups and live session Q&A with all speakers.
  
• Price: $130

GrowthHackers Conference 

You’ll find your place at this amazing conference whether you’re an entrepreneur or a social media marketer.

The main theme of the conference is business growth. Thus, it covers topics such as entrepreneurship, growth tactics, marketing, and similar. 

It’s a great place to learn first-hand about some of the fastest-growing companies in the world. 

Also, you’ll get top insight on data-driven marketing  growing a business, and effective implementation of strategies.

Important Information

• Category: eCommerce, growth marketing
  
• When: September 1-2
  
• Where: San Francisco, CA / Online
  
• What to Expect: Conference live streams, recordings, and VIP lounge to mingle with speakers and sponsors. 
  
• Who’ll Speak: Sean Ellis, the founder himself! Also, various heads of growth and marketing like Hila Qu from Gitlab.
  
• Price: From $300 to $2000

Global Growth Marketing Conference 2020

The Global GMC is one of the most prestigious conferences around. Chances are you’ll see big shots from the leading tech companies attending or speaking at this event.

Previously, it hosted speakers from prime brands like Google and LinkedIn. However, it’s also welcoming to small, growing businesses to share their strategies and experiences. 

Although the topics of the conference may vary, they always stick to the same goal. To present and talk about cost-effective, proven strategies for improving growth, customer acquisition, and user experience. 

The main aim is to bring together people who share the same values. Some of the recent speakers include Neil Patel, Andrew Chen (Head of Growth at Uber), and others. If you manage to book a spot, you’re in for a treat.

Important Information 

• Category: eCommerce, content marketing
  
• When: December 9th-10th 
  
• Where: San Francisco / Virtual 
  
• What to Expect: Access to tactical workshops, attending open cocktail reception while meeting renowned marketers (depending on the ticket), learning from proven marketers
  
• Who’ll Speak: Siara Nazar, Head of Digital Marketing at Autodesk, Jon Miller, CEO and Co-Founder of Engagio and many more.
  
• Price: $900+

Growth Marketing Summit 

Growth Marketing Summit is one of the most exciting conferences happening in Europe this year. 

You’ll have a chance to absorb vital knowledge from the marketing gurus of some of the most important digital brands. Among them, you can find speakers from Facebook, Booking.com, and Spotify. 

As they say, their main goal is to discuss a “data-driven, customer-oriented, and agile approach to scale sustainability.” 

If this rings a bell and you want to be a part, you should consider a short voyage to the heart of Germany.

Important Information

• Category: Digital marketing
  
• When: September 1st
  
• Where: Frankfurt, Germany 
  
• What To Expect: State-of-the-art conference with over 700 like-minded people discussing the most recent growth concepts. All-inclusive catering and aftershow party.
  
• Who’ll Speak: Simon Dahla, Premium Conversion Lead of Spotify; Erin Weigl, Principal Designer of Booking.com; Morgan Brown, Product Lead at Facebook, and a plethora of others.
  
• Price: $833-$2000

Social Media Marketing World 

Social Media Examiner will hold their conference early in 2021 and it’s a bit different from those above.

First up, they offer both physical and virtual tickets. Those who want to save money can attend their conferences remotely and participate in online discussions. 

However, a physical ticket will provide you an opportunity to have face-to-face conversations with some important people from the social media industry.

The primary goal of this conference is to improve your social media marketing skills. Facebook ads, Instagram marketing, content marketing, email marketing, are just some of the talking points.

Important Information

• Category: Social media marketing
  
• When: 28.2-2.3.2021
  
• Where: San Diego, CA / Virtual 
  
• What to Expect: Perfect conference for small businesses looking to expand knowledge of social media marketing. Great place to connect with like-minded people, acquire partnerships and clients.
  
• Who’ll Speak: Michael Stelzner, the founder of Social Media Examiner; Mari Smith, the “Top Social Media Power Influencer,” according to Forbes, and many more.
  
• Price: All-access ticket $1697 ($997 with registration), virtual $697

Hypergrowth 

Sales. Marketing. Conversion optimization. User growth.  These are all topics of Hyper Growth’s conference. 

Held in London, this event is nothing short of a spectacle. For one day, you can be around more than 5000 like-minded individuals.from the marketing sphere.  

Hypergrowth hosts visitors from companies all over the world. They mostly range from sales, marketing, and products, all eager to gather knowledge and ignite the creative spark.

Visitors label this conference as one of the most energetic summits that they’ve ever been to. It’s somewhat shorter than similar events, but it packs everything into one eventful and unforgettable day.

It also offers you a perfect opportunity to boost your network and acquire new potential clients.

Important Information

• Category: eCommerce
  
• Where: London, UK
  
• When: September 14
  
• What to Expect: A vibrant and eventful conference with peers from all around the world. Top speakers and an action-packed, full-day, and unforgettable experience. Lounge, afterparty and meet-and-greet with participants.
  
• Who’ll Speak: Huib van Bockel, former CMO of Red Bull Europe and Founder of Tenzing natural energy drink, others TBA
  
• Price: $600+

Content Marketing World 

Content Marketing World gathers over 4000 attendees in Cleveland, Ohio..

It’s one of the number one conferences for learning about new content marketing strategies and discussing the craft with fellow peers.

They’ve already announced over 125 different workshops and sessions with experienced brand marketers and content experts. 

Some of the previous speakers include marketing magicians from Nestle, Walmart, TripAdvisor, and others. 

If you’re looking to curate brilliant content and learn more about copy, ads, and marketing, you shouldn’t miss it. 

Important Information

• Category: Content marketing
  
• When: October 13-16 
  
• Where: Cleveland, OH / Virtual
  
• What to Expect: Workshops, main conference sessions, evening networking events, expo hall access for a physical ticket. The virtual pass includes online networking events, main and main conference sessions recordings.
  
• Who’ll Speak: Melanie Deziel, Founder of StoryFuel; Jay Baer, founder of Convince & Convert, among others.
  
• Price: $1300+ Physical / $900+ Virtual

Growth Marketing Conferences: Physical or Virtual?

Unfortunately, a lot of upcoming conferences got canceled or delayed due to the ongoing pandemic in 2020. 

Although many conferences could happen physically later this year (or are moved to early 2021), most have become digital for everyone’s safety. 

This means that you can still attend world-class conferences, but you’ll have to get a virtual entry. 

What’s the difference?

Not much. For starters, you’ll get to attend to “move around” the conference at your own pace. You can stream any speaking event live, or watch the recording later. 

Instead of mingling and networking in person, you get to join exclusive Facebook groups where you can share ideas and connect.

In fact, some physical conferences will provide virtual tickets in addition to the physical entry. The reason is simple: the ticket is affordable, saves you money for travel and accommodation (especially if you’re from abroad), and of course, saves time.

In these uncertain times, where health is the number one priority, most people opt for this choice anyway. 

On the other hand, you can miss out on side meets and greets and personal workshops. So it can sometimes be a tricky decision. 

First-Hand Take: TGM’s Experience and Verdict 

If you aspire to be a top marketer (or a leading person in a similar industry), attending growth marketing conferences should become a regular thing.

As said, it’s not only the knowledge that’s invaluable. It’s also the network that you continue to expand that can change your life. 

If you’ve already been to a conference (or participated as a speaker), you get the point. 

In fact, we had the opportunity to speak at a conference just recently, too. 

We love going to conferences, sharing knowledge and discussing strategies with amiable people. 

By the time the conference was over, we’d gathered a myriad of new connections, links and ideas that we started implementing in our business. 

If you consider physical conferences too big of an investment at first, you can start slowly with virtual tickets. Once you see what it’s all about, you can move onto the face-to-face discussions.

Will you attend any conferences mentioned above? What’s your take? What’s your favorite growth conference? Leave a comment below.

Of course, if you have any questions, feel free to contact us.