Conferences are incredible opportunities for bloggers. They’re a chance to learn from industry leaders, while also networking with other bloggers, marketing professionals, or brands. You can gain a lot from attending a conference, and some might even offer opportunities for you to be a speaker or workshop leader yourself.
There are many conferences around the world every year. If you’re looking for opportunities to attend a blogging conference in the second half of 2023, take a look at some of these top opportunities that are coming up.
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For DIY Bloggers: Haven Conference, July 27-29, Atlanta, Georgia
Some conferences are more generally focused on blogging or digital marketing, but others are for specific niches. If you’re a blogger interested in DIY, interior design, or lifestyle content, Haven Conference could be the place for you. This conference in Atlanta was started by a group of bloggers, so it’s the perfect choice for bloggers looking for ways to learn and grow. You will find breakout sessions covering a range of topics, offering both beginner and advanced tracks, workshops, and sessions from some great speakers.
Every attendee is also assigned one of the conference’s mentors, who are there to guide and support you during the conference.
For Travel Bloggers: Book Passage, August 10-13, Corte Madera, California
Travel blogging is a hugely popular niche, so there are multiple conferences that are catered to travel writers and industry professionals. Book Passage Travel Writers and Photographers Conference has been running for more than 30 years, and it’s ideal for anyone running a travel blog or has aspirations to do any other kind of travel writing. If you’re a photographer too, there’s plenty of content focused on that area as well.
In addition to the conference itself, there are some amazing opportunities to join pre-conference workshops, including a day learning about travel writing in San Francisco.
For Vloggers: VidCon Mexico, August 10-13, Mexico City
If you’re a vlogger as well as a blogger, there are some excellent opportunities to learn and grow your skills and network at conferences. VidCon is just one option that might appeal to you, with one of their events coming up this summer in Mexico City. They also have conferences in Sao Paulo and Baltimore coming up, and they’ve just finished up an event in Anaheim. VidCon offers a Community Track for fans of digital content and an Industry Track for creators. There will be speakers, meet and greets, and more across this 4-day event.
For Podcasters: Podcast Movement, August 21-24, Denver, Colorado
Many bloggers are increasingly exploring podcasting too. It offers another way to create engaging content and open up more discussion with your audience. If you’re interested in podcasting or you’re already a podcaster, Podcast Movement in Denver is the place to be this summer.
This conference has the claim of being the world’s largest podcasting conference, and it’s been running since 2014. This year, you can experience events across 10 stages, with 150 workshops, breakout sessions, panels, and keynote speakers. You’ll have the chance to network with podcasters and industry professionals, attend the expo/trade show, and get your party on too.
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For Food Bloggers: Tastemaker Conference, September 15, Online
Online events are accessible to anyone, no matter where they are, and this is one that food bloggers won’t want to miss. The theme for the conference is Monetizing Your Business, focusing on how to make money from your food content. All of the main sessions will be presented live, so there are opportunities to ask questions and interact. On-demand content will also be available, giving you the chance to explore further in your own time, even after the end of the conference. You will be able to learn from top industry experts in classes and online excursions. The event includes six workshops and classes, a keynote speaker, a live cooking class, 1:1 live virtual networking with brands, and more.
For All Bloggers: Bloggy Conference, September 15-17, Sandusky, Ohio
This general blogging conference is for bloggers of all types, as well as other content creators and influencers. It’s all about networking, learning new things, and growing your online presence. One of the benefits of this conference is how family-friendly it is. The conference is co-hosted by Cedar Point at its lakeside resort and amusement park, so it could really turn into a mini vacation for you and your family. You can get a discount to stay at Hotel Breakers (if you book two nights) and there are even suites available. This year’s speakers include Ana Canon, who will be talking about AI content creation, and Veronica Bareman, whose topic is telling your story with photos.
For Outdoor Bloggers: Outdoor Media Summit, September 24-26, Boise, Idaho
Bloggers who write about the outdoors and associated topics should head to Boise for the Outdoor Media Summit. This is an event for people in outdoor media and marketing to meet, learn, talk about the future, and grow their potential to make more money. There are speakers from some top outdoor brands and content creators, featuring a diverse range of people. The broad range of topics covers everything from making content on a budget to how to use artificial intelligence. Plus, there are fun events like a scavenger hunt and a group hike after the conference.
For Wannabe Digital Nomads: Freedom Business Summit, September 26-28, Online
Are you a blogger who also aspires to be a digital nomad? The freedom of being able to travel and work where you want without being tied down certainly sounds appealing to a lot of people. That’s what Freedom Business Summit is all about and, fittingly, it’s all available online. The event features more than 30 speakers from around the world who will be talking about a range of topics relating to global entrepreneurship and independent living. There are four available tracks covering Freedom Business, Freedom Lifestyle, Global Citizenship, and Borderless Finance.
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For Women Over 40 (Mostly): Influencers of Midlife, September 28-October 1, Las Vegas, Nevada
Online influencers are often viewed as being young, but that’s certainly not the case for everyone. Older people have tons of experience they can share, and they’re doing it in droves. If you’re a woman over 40 (although you might be a little younger), you might enjoy the Influencers of Midlife conference. This conference focuses on how women at a more mature stage of their lives can share their experiences and continue to grow and learn as bloggers and content creators. This year’s theme is Living Your Best Life Now, with a focus on how to improve your business game and develop the connections you need to do so. As well as speakers and group activities, there’s a discount available for the hotel spa and a professional photographer available to book for your own content creation!
For Finance Bloggers: FinCon, October 18-21, New Orleans, Louisiana
FinCon is aimed at financial bloggers and content creators. Specifically, it’s for people who create content about personal finance. As well as being open to bloggers, it’s suitable for podcasters, YouTubers, coaches, and more. This year, there will be more than 60 breakout sessions, with some amazing speakers who are experts in creating personal finance content. There are also parties, meetups, pro networking opportunities, mentoring, and more. Female finance bloggers might also want to explore the Women in Money events, which are being held July 20 in Irvine, California, and July 27 in Atlanta, Georgia.
For Travel Bloggers (Networking): IMM Asia, October 23-24, Singapore
Another conference for travel bloggers, IMM Asia is perfect for those who are looking to network. This conference focuses on connecting the travel industry with the media. As a blogger, you might not immediately consider yourself part of “the media” but you’re definitely someone who can help to promote travel brands. There are general opportunities to network, or people in the travel industry can book meetings with those in the media who align with their campaign goals. IMM also has multiple events in 2024 for North America (NYC), Australia, Germany, the UK, and France.
Find Your Perfect Conference
This is just a sample of some of the blogging conferences that you can explore if you’re looking for opportunities to learn and network. There are plenty more that typically run in the first half of the year, so don’t forget to check out what’s happening in 2024 too. As well as general blogging and marketing conferences, you can see that there are some focused on specific niches or certain demographics. If you want to find the right niche for your needs, you should consider what you’re looking to learn and what kind of community you want to be involved in. Are you looking for people in your niche, or perhaps a chance to be with a community of people from a similar background?
