The Best SEO Conferences in 2022
Our annual list of the best SEO conferences compiles every conference that has achieved some degree of recognition in the SEO industry. Below, you’ll find all upcoming SEO conferences listed in chronological order, along with their location, costs, and featured speakers. We’ve also given a score to each conference along the dimensions of Content Quality, Practical Takeaway Value, Networking Opportunities, and Overall Score.
The Best SEO Conferences of 2021-2022, Scored and Ranked
The chart below lists what we consider the best SEO conferences in 2021 and 2022.
| Name | Date | Location | Cost | Speakers | Content | Practical Value | Networking | Overall |
| SEJ eSummit | Recordings on-demand | Virtual | $350 and up | Lily Ray, Wil Reynolds, Britney Muller | 5.5 | 6.5 | 0 | 5 |
| Advanced Search Summit | Jun. 9-11, 2021 | Napa Valley, CA | $299 to $1,249 | Loren Baker, Matt Siltala, Mike King | 6 | 7.5 | 9.5 | 8 |
| SMX Advanced | Jun. 15-16, 2021 | Virtual | $219-$329 | Azeem Ahmad, Amanda Hebdon, Ken WIlliams | 9 | 9 | 5 | 7.5 |
| MozCon | Jul. 12-14, 2021 | Virtual | $129-$625 | Brie E. Anderson, Luke Carty, Sara Bird | 8.5 | 8.5 | 5 | 7.5 |
| Engage Marketing Conference | Aug. 5-6, 2021 | Portland, OR | TBD | Leslie To, Arsen Rabinovich, Jeremy Epperson | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 |
| Content Marketing World | Sep. 28-Oct. 1, 2021 | Cleveland, OH | $899 and up | Robert Rose, Melanie Deziel, Sydni Craig-Hart | 8 | 7.5 | 7 | 7 |
| State of Search | Nov. 1-2, 2021 | Virtual | $465 and up | TBD | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 |
| SMX Next | Nov. 9-10, 2021 | Virtual | $200–$250 (expected) | TBD | 8 | 7 | 6 | 7.5 |
| B2B Marketing Expo | Apr. 6-7, 2022 | Los Angeles, CA | Free | Stephen Gorgey, Paul Breseden, Chip House | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8.5 |
| DigiMarCon East | Apr. 21-22, 2022 | New York, NY | $497-$997 | TBD | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 |
| DMO: Advanced | May 17-19, 2022 | Napa Valley, CA | $399 to $999 | TBD | 6 | 7.5 | 9.5 | 8 |
| DigiMarCon Silicon Valley | Jun. 2-3, 2022 | San Francisco, CA | $497-$997 | TBD | 8 | 8 | 10 | 9 |
| DigiMarCon California | Jun. 15-16, 2022 | San Diego, CA | $497-$997 | TBD | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| DigiMarCon Midwest | Jun. 9-10, 2022 | Chicago, CA | $497-$997 | TBD | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7.5 |
| MozCon 2022 | July 11-13, 2022 | Seattle, WA | $129-$625 (Expected) | Brie E. Anderson, Luke Carthy, Sara Bird | 8.5 | 8.5 | 5 | 7.5 |
| Content Marketing World | Sept. 13-16, 2022 | Cleveland, OH | $899 and up | TBD | 8.5 | 8.5 | 5 | 7.5 |
Top 5 SEO Conferences by Content Quality
If you’re purely viewing the value of a conference by the quality of the speakers and the ideas they communicate, the below 5 conferences are the best ones coming up.
| Name | Date | Location | Cost | Speakers | Content |
| SMX Advanced | Jun. 15-16, 2021 | Virtual | $219-$329 | Azeem Ahmad, Amanda Hebdon, Ken Williams | 9 |
| B2B Marketing Expo | Apr. 6-7, 2022 | Los Angeles, CA | Free | Stephen Gorgey, Paul Breseden, Chip House | 9 |
| MozCon | Jul. 12-14, 2021 | Virtual | $129-$625 | Brie E. Anderson, Luke Carty, Sara Bird | 8.5 |
| DigiMarCon Silicon Valley | Jun. 2-3, 2022 | San Francisco, CA | $497-$997 | TBD | 8 |
| Engage Marketing Conference | Aug. 5-6, 2021 | Portland, OR | TBD | Leslie To, Arsen Rabinovich, Jeremy Epperson | 8 |
Top 5 SEO Conferences by Practical Takeaway Value
If you’re looking for a conference to provide you and your team with ideas you can put to work right away, these conferences offer the best practical takeaway value.
| Name | Date | Location | Cost | Speakers | Practical Value |
| SMX Advanced | Jun. 15-16, 2021 | Virtual | $219-$329 | Azeem Ahmad, Amanda Hebdon, Ken WIlliams | 9 |
| MozCon | Jul. 12-14, 2021 | Virtual | $129-$625 | Brie E. Anderson, Luke Carty, Sara Bird | 8.5 |
| B2B Marketing Expo | Apr. 6-7, 2022 | Los Angeles, CA | Free | Stephen Gorgey, Paul Breseden, Chip House | 8 |
| DigiMarCon East | Apr. 21-22, 2022 | New York, NY | $497-$997 | TBD | 8 |
| Content Marketing World | Sep. 28-Oct. 1, 2021 | Cleveland, OH | $899 and up | Robert Rose, Melanie Deziel, Sydni Craig-Hart | 7.5 |
Top 5 SEO Conferences by Networking Opportunities
Many SEO and marketing professionals go to conferences primarily for networking, and secondarily for the content itself. If networking is your main goal, the 5 conferences below are your strongest contenders.
| Name | Date | Location | Cost | Speakers | Networking |
| DigiMarCon Silicon Valley | Jun. 2-3, 2022 | San Francisco, CA | $497-$997 | TBD | 10 |
| Advanced Search Summit | Jun. 9-11, 2021 | Napa Valley, CA | $299 to $1,249 | Loren Baker, Matt Siltala, Mike King | 9.5 |
| B2B Marketing Expo | Apr. 6-7, 2022 | Los Angeles, CA | Free | Stephen Gorgey, Paul Breseden, Chip House | 9 |
| DigiMarCon East | Apr. 21-22, 2022 | New York, NY | $497-$997 | TBD | 8 |
| Engage Marketing Conference | Aug. 5-6, 2021 | Portland, OR | TBD | Leslie To, Arsen Rabinovich, Jeremy Epperson | 8 |
Best SEO Conferences 2021-2022: The Upshot
Below is our brief evaluation of each conference:
- Search Engine Journal: This conference has already ended, but recorded sessions are available on-demand. These provide excellent information and inspiration on SEO, PPC, and social media, so it’s still worth your time, as long as you’re not looking to network.
- Advanced Search Summit: The first in-person event on our list, we expect excellent networking opportunities, especially during the Masquerade party in a Tuscan castle.
- SMX Advanced: While traditionally, SMX Advanced has presented excellent networking opportunities, the virtual nature of 2021’s event leads us to rank it lower than we would in other years. This year’s content is focused on advanced tactical search and social.
- MozCon: Every year, MozCon is one of the best opportunities to learn and network, with deep dives into SEO, content marketing, conversion, and analytics. We’ve ranked it lower this year than we otherwise would because of its virtual nature: while chat rooms are available for networking, these won’t be able to match the value of an in-person connection.
- Engage: This conference is virtual but has a Portland, OR vibe in the way it’s being produced (LARPy, food trucks). The content focus here is on strategy and technological advances in marketing, social, UX design, creative, and SEO.
- Content Marketing World: This in-person conference offers closer contact with peers and potential partners. It boasts education tracks on SEO, content strategy, and creativity aimed at the best and brightest in the digital space.
- State of Search: This virtual event, hosted in Dallas, offers a truly varied agenda. It has the potential to be good but doesn’t score as high in any of our categories. Small businesses and DIYers will get the most from this conference.
- SMX Next: This conference, run by Search Engine Land, has always been a great way to learn actionable insights and new techniques from other SEO professionals. This year is once again virtual, however, and won’t have the opportunities to connect directly with other professionals that prior years offered.
- B2B Marketing Expo: This conference is, as you might expect from the name, focused exclusively on B2B. The focus on digital marketing makes this year’s conference will be particularly worth attending.
- DigiMarCon: This is a huge series of conferences showcasing emerging trends and best practices. There are events all over the world, so you can find one near you. We’ve highlighted the four in this list—Silicon Valley, California, East, and Midwest—because of the networking opportunities their locations represent.
Getting in Touch With Us
Whether you’re looking to connect with experts in the industry or making sure your team status abreast of current SEO developments, we hope this list helps in deciding where to spend your time. If you have any questions about this list, or if you’d like your own conference added, contact us here.
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