I had the opportunity to attend two conferences in 2025 after getting 5 years into my career without attending any. Those conferences were SXSW London and Spotlight by Semrush (which I got to attend with my teammate Kirsti!), and were transformative experiences.
Why are these conferences even a big deal in the first place? Well, being a remote team has several huge perks — working with people from around the globe, for starters. But there’s something about meeting face-to-face that simply can’t be replicated over Zoom.
Plus, the right conference does two things at once: it gives you access to top-tier education and opens doors to incredible networking opportunities.
If you’ve been toying with attending one in 2026 (or just got the idea beamed into your head because of this article), you’re in luck. I’ve rounded up the top conferences on my radar, with dates, locations, and highlights. These events tick one or more of these boxes:
- Relevant topics: You’ll walk away with strategies that actually work and insights on trends shaping social media, marketing, and business today.
- Great speaker lineups: Think industry leaders and innovators across tech, branding, and the creator economy.
- Networking opportunities: Perfect for meeting collaborators, sponsors, and professionals who can help take your business or creator journey to the next level.
So, let’s dive into the events you’ll want on your calendar for 2025.
📖 Read about my experiences at my first conferences in I Attended My First International, In-Person Conference As An Introvert – Here’s How It Went
Date: January 13 to 14 (West); July 28 to 29 (East)
Location: Las Vegas (West); New York (East)
Price: $599-2,099
Best for: Creators looking to connect with decision-makers and influencer marketing pros
Creator Economy Live is a two-day deep dive into the creator economy, focusing on the strategies, relationships, and platforms that drive the industry forward. Whether you’re a creator, agency rep, or marketing professional, you’ll find valuable insights to help you grow.
The conference is now split between the East and West Coasts of the United States. Register for the West or East dates.
What to expect:
- Panels and fireside chats with experts sharing their success stories and strategies on building sustainable careers in the creator space.
- Networking lounges and interactive sessions provide opportunities to meet brand partners and other creators.
Dates: March 12 to 18
Location: Austin, Texas
Price: $550-1,495
Best for: Creators and marketers interested in digital innovation, culture, and technology trends
SXSW Austin blends film, music, technology, and interactive media, offering a dynamic space for creative and tech professionals. The conference track is a major draw, focusing on topics that matter to social media, content creation, and digital innovation.
What to expect:
- Panels and workshops on storytelling, audience engagement, and tech innovation.
- Networking mixers and live showcases to connect with potential collaborators in a high-energy, creative atmosphere.
Date: April 14 to 16
Location: New York City
Price: $649-3,000
Best for: CMOs, social media strategists, creators, and brand marketers
AdWeek’s Social Media Week is where top minds in social media, branding, and pop culture come to share insights. With high-profile speakers and data-driven sessions, this event helps marketers and creators stay sharp in a rapidly evolving industry.
What to expect:
- Deep dives into case studies from viral campaigns that broke the internet.
- Tactics for building stronger influencer partnerships.
- Strategies to stay ahead of changing audience trends and behaviors.
Panels often include experts from platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, giving you an inside look at what’s next in the social landscape.
Date: April 28 to 30
Location: Anaheim, California; Virtual
Price: $497-1,197
Best for: Marketing professionals, social media managers, and small business owners
Hosted by Social Media Examiner, Social Media Marketing World offers practical training to level up your social media strategies. You’ll learn about platform algorithms and content marketing tactics directly from industry leaders.
What to expect:
- Sessions on content marketing, platform algorithms, and engagement strategies to drive conversions.
- Niche workshops on platform-specific tactics like TikTok growth, Instagram Reels, and LinkedIn personal branding.
Date: May 19 to 20
Location: London, United Kingdom
Price: £375-775
Best for: Social media professionals, content creators, and digital strategists
SocialDay is one of the top social media marketing conferences in the UK, designed for professionals looking to stay ahead of trends, sharpen their skills, and connect with industry leaders.
What to expect:
- Keynotes and panels covering TikTok strategies, SEO, and social media trends.
- Expert insights on building community, brand storytelling, and content scaling.
- Interactive workshops on influencer marketing, agency growth, and AI in social media.
- Networking opportunities in an engaging, ‘unstuffy’ environment with industry peers.
Date: June 1 to 6
Location: London, United Kingdom
Price: £400-1,300
Best for: Creators, tech entrepreneurs, and marketers
The second edition of SXSW London builds on the iconic Austin edition, creating a hub for creators, innovators, and technologists across Europe. Last year’s was the first-ever conference I attended and XXX
What to expect:
- Sessions exploring creativity-driven tech innovations.
- Panels featuring industry leaders reshaping digital culture.
- Networking opportunities in one of London’s most vibrant creative districts.
Date: June 22 to 26
Location: Cannes, France
Price: €1,245 for Creator track
Best for: Creators, marketers, and agency professionals focused on creative innovation
The Cannes Lions festival is a celebration of creativity in communications, marketing, and media. The Creator Track zeroes in on influencer marketing, content production, and brand storytelling, making it a must for anyone pushing creative boundaries. This one’s on my radar for 2026.
What to expect:
- Sessions led by world-renowned creatives on storytelling and brand innovation.
- Insights on building impactful influencer marketing strategies.
- Exclusive networking events in the stunning backdrop of Cannes.
Date: June 25 to 27
Location: Anaheim, California
Price: TBA
Best for: Digital creators, influencers, and fans
VidCon is one of the largest gatherings for creators and their communities. It’s a hotspot for both established creators and newcomers, offering panels, keynotes, and interactive fan experiences.
What to expect:
- Insights on platform updates, audience engagement, and monetization strategies from experts across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.
- Opportunities to connect with fans, industry leaders, and other creators.
- Panels and keynotes featuring top influencers and social media pioneers.
Date: July 8 to 10
Location: Los Angeles, California
Price: $1,099-1,999
Best for: Social media professionals, content creators, and digital strategists
The ANA conference emphasizes networking while helping attendees stay up to date with the latest trends across the marketing industry.
What to expect:
- Keynotes and panels covering retail media networks, CTV, influencer marketing, AI, and more.
- Networking opportunities with industry peers.
Some key events have yet to confirm the details for 2026. However, they’re usually highly anticipated and worth keeping an eye on.
Content Entrepreneur Expo
Best for: Content entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and digital business owners
The Content Entrepreneur Expo is designed to help content creators and entrepreneurs build sustainable, scalable businesses. This event dives deep into topics like launching digital products, growing subscription-based revenue, and building diverse income streams.
What to expect:
- Workshops on digital product launches and revenue generation.
- Networking through mastermind sessions, mentorship circles, and brand partnership meetups.
- Insights from successful content entrepreneurs sharing real-world growth strategies.
Content Marketing World
Content Marketing World is an annual event catered toward content marketing professionals. Previous topics covered have included AI, brand strategies, and analytics.
CreatorFest
Best for: Creators, marketers, and brand representatives focused on collaboration and growth
CreatorFest is a high-energy festival connecting creators with brands and industry leaders across Europe. It’s a must-attend event for those looking to explore new opportunities and trends shaping the creator economy.
What to expect:
- Interactive workshops on creator monetization and growth strategies.
- Brand showcases highlighting collaboration opportunities.
- Strategy sessions on cross-platform content trends.
Web Summit
Best for: Tech-savvy creators, entrepreneurs, and startup founders
Web Summit is one of the world’s largest and most influential tech conferences, attracting leaders from technology, media, and venture capital. While innovation is the main focus, there’s plenty for creators and entrepreneurs, with sessions on digital content, creator platforms, and scaling startups.
What to expect:
- Key sessions on digital content strategies and platform innovation.
- Insights on startup growth and fundraising from top industry leaders.
- Networking opportunities with tech innovators, investors, and entrepreneurs.
CreatorConf
Best for: Creators looking to build community and business infrastructure
CreatorConf is a virtual conference designed to help creators optimize and scale their operations. With a focus on productivity, team-building, and sustainable business models, it’s perfect for creators looking to grow their ventures efficiently.
What to expect:
- Workshops on productivity hacks and tools to streamline workflows.
- Sessions on scaling content teams and managing business infrastructure.
- Community-building opportunities with other creators worldwide.
VidSummit
Best for: Video creators, marketers, and entrepreneurs
VidSummit focuses on the business of content creation, with an emphasis on monetization, video marketing, and audience growth. It’s a creator-first event, offering direct access to expert insights on building successful video content careers.
What to expect:
- Sessions on growing and monetizing your YouTube and TikTok presence.
- Keynotes from top creators and video marketing experts.
- Practical strategies to maximize reach and engagement across platforms.
We’ve put some real thought into how we approach conferences at Buffer (and yes, I’ve had a front-row seat to these discussions!).
Here’s what’s interesting: we started out with a simple “$500 per person” approach back in 2017. Spoiler alert: It wasn’t great. Some people needed more, others didn’t use it at all. These days, we’re much more strategic about it.
In 2025, we focused on key conferences that tick specific boxes:
- Events hosted by our integration partners (think Meta Conference and Threads API Summit) to stay in the loop on platform updates. We recently had a lot of our engineering and product team at GraphQL.
- Opportunities for our team to share their expertise through speaking engagements, like our CEO, Joel Gascoigne, at the Business of Software conference.
- Conferences that help us increase our expertise, learn about our respective roles, and better understand and serve our customers, like my experience at Semrush.
That doesn’t mean conferences that don’t meet these criteria are a no-go. Bufferoos can still use their Growth Mindset Fund to help cover the cost of conference attendance.
Some of our team’s favorites have included SaaStr, WWDC, and the Meta Conference.
That’s our list! Of course, with so many conferences happening each year, it’s impossible to include them all. These are just some of the standout events we’re excited about.
Which ones are you planning to attend? Did we miss any must-attend conferences? Share your thoughts with us over on Threads!
