My 2017 Blogger Conference Calendar

As I sit here writing this towards the end of February, I’m stressing about the online marketing conferences I have missed due to an injury and the ones I’m really hoping to make it to for the rest of 2017.

The plan was to attend quite a few new ones this year as well as visit some of my favorites that I have been going to for years.

Now that I’m on the other side of the injury and on the mend, I can finally start planning my travels and the shows I plan to attend.

By the way, I love me some conferences! I’ve attended some bummers in the past, but as long as there are people to meet and vibe as brainstorm with, I’m happy as pie.

Having fun at Affiliate Summit in Las Vegas

Here is a quick list of my 2017 Blogger conference calendar and the goals for each.

Hispanicize April 3-6, 2017 – Miami, Florida

I have been wanting to attend this show since its inception. Somehow, there has always been a scheduling conflict and I miss out. I can’t let that happen again this year, so I am adding it to my calendar and going. No excuses.

First, it’s in Miami, my home town. Second, it’s a bunch of Hispanic & Latino bloggers, creators, media, celebrities and basically anyone involved in Hispanic Media.

My goals for this event are:

1. Meet and network with fellow Latinos in the industry, especially several online friends and colleagues whom I have yet to meet in person.
2. Meet and network with client leads to discuss working together.
3. Meet with current clients and discuss future opportunities.

Travel Blog Exchange May 4, 2017 in Huntsville, AL

As I incorporate more travel coverage into my writing, I wanted to check out this conference in a place I have yet to visit. I have only ever driven through Alabama, and it’s high time I check it out with the family while attending a show. The plan is to hang around for a couple of weeks surrounding the show date.

My goals for this show are as follows:

1. Network and meet with other travel bloggers.
2. Learn more about the travel blogging industry in general.
3. Meet and network with potential clients.

Focused Blogging Conference May 18-20, 2017 in Richmond, VA

I’ll be in and out of Virginia most of the year since my oldest son lives there, so this one is just a no-brainer. Plus, since I’m doing quite a bit of business in Virginia with other events I’m working on, I’ll be able to fit this in and will only need an hour drive to get there!

My goals for this event are:

1. Meet and network with local bloggers.
2. Spend time really getting to know the attendees and spit-balling ideas.

BlogHer June 22-24, 2017 in Orlando, FL

This show has been on my radar for years, but I haven’t really made an effort to go. However, since I made a pivot and decided to dedicate more time to my personal blog, I know that this is a must-attend for me.

My goals for this event are as follows:

1. Meet with brands and discuss a new venture that I have been working on in the influencer space for a few months.
2. Meet and network with other bloggers. This is a no brainer. I love bloggers, especially the fact that so many tend to be mompreneurs. When I tell you that I deal with about 95% men in my industry day in and day out, hanging out with other chicks is a lifeline for me.

Affiliate Summit East July 30 – Aug 1, 2017 in NYC

I have been attending Affiliate Summit for over 10 years and it’s just one of those conferences that has a place on my calendar every year. They hold 2 shows annually, and some years I go to both. This year I missed ASW (Affiliate Summit West) in Las Vegas in January, but I’ll be heading to NYC for ASE.

This show is geared toward people who are interested in or involved in the Affiliate Marketing industry. That is everyone from bloggers, to email marketing agencies, to enter more people. Basically, anyone in online advertising will find business and networking opportunities galore.

Founders Shawn and Missy have really taken this show from a small gathering to a huge phenomenon where over 5,000 online marketers convene for three days of awesomeness.

My goals for this event are as follows:

1. Meet with current clients and discuss future opportunities.
2. Meet with new client leads and discuss opportunities.
3. Volunteer and mentor an attendee new to the industry. I try to do this for each show I attend. It’s a great way to give back a little.

Type-A Parent East October 5-7, 2017 in Alexandria, VA

Another Virginia conference is a great thing. But more importantly, I’ve been interested in Type-A for a while.

My goals for this event are as follows:

1. Meet and network with other bloggers.
2. Check out some of the cool sessions.
3. Party with the peeps.

PubCon November 6-9, 2017 in Las Vegas, NV

This one is a maybe. It depends on my schedule in November, which usually gets pretty crazy with the holidays. Theoretically, my agency can get all of the holiday campaigns set up and launched by October. In reality, the last minute media plan and budget changes usually mean we work a lot to be able to fulfill all of those changes.

Is it annoying? Yes. Am I going to complain? No. That’s life and I am always grateful that those are my “issues”.

My goals for this event are as follows:

1. Meet with clients and discuss opportunities.
2. Meet with colleagues and friends in the industry and network.
3. Attend a couple of the sessions.
4. Check out what’s new and up and coming with tools, products, etc.

I still have a few more conferences to look into for the year, but this is the current list. There is a Snapchat conference in the works, but nothing is solidified I would love to do one each week, but that is just not feasible with running a business and a family. Gotta make those choices!

Have you been to any of these or other conferences? If you’ve been, which is your favorite? If you haven’t, which would you love to attend?

Also, am I missing any good ones I should check out?

Lastly, if you haven’t already gleaned this from my writing style, I’m pretty outgoing and have zero issues with introducing myself to complete strangers. So if you happen to be attending any of these events and would like an intro buddy or just want to connect, hit me up. I love meeting new people and connecting them with others.