Digital Summit Comparison: A Closer Look at DigiMarCon

Every year, thousands of marketing professionals across the nation—and globe—make the decision to attend one or more professional conferences. It makes perfect sense, when you consider the unique opportunities these events provide for learning and networking. 

Are these events always worth the money, though? It depends on what you’re looking to accomplish, the event (or events) you decide to attend, and what you do once you’re there.

If you’ve been thinking about attending one or more digital marketing conferences in 2025, but aren’t sure whether it’s the right time or the right strategy, you’ll want to keep reading. In this article, we’re going to address a number of important questions, so you can know whether attending Digital Summit, DigiMarCon, or similar event makes sense for your business this year. 

Are Marketing Conferences Worth It?

Especially with the right planning and intention, attending a marketing conference can be one of the most impactful activities of the year for any marketer. Spending a few days attending a conference like DigiMarCon or Digital Summit enables marketers to accomplish a lot within a tight time frame and within a specific physical (or virtual) space. For example, attending a conference would enable you to…

Network, Network, Network

Few things are as important—and sometimes misunderstood—than building a quality network of personal connections. Sure, you might have an expansive network on LinkedIn, but how many of these people have you had the chance to speak with in person? As a vast majority (95%) of professionals understand, face-to-face meetings provide better opportunities for developing meaningful and lasting relationships. 

Get Out of Your Bubble

Without attending conferences or similar events, it can be difficult to keep track of the latest trends in digital marketing. Sure, you can always turn to Google or other websites, but there’s really no substitute for attending a conference. These are high-energy events with agendas chock-full of diverse offerings. There’s likely going to be something for everybody, in other words. And instead of just reading about concepts on a screen, you can learn about them straight from the experts!

Create an Action Plan

Especially if you attend the conference with a specific goal in mind—like learning a couple new digital marketing skills or strategy ideas—you can usually expect to come away with some action items to implement once the conference is over. To maximize the benefits of your attendance, you should be an active participant, take good notes, and work to develop meaningful action items. 

Toward the end of this article, we’ll cover some tips for making sure you get the most out of your conference attendance. First, though, let’s survey some of the most popular types of conferences—and some of the best examples.

What Are the Three Types of Conference, and Which Is Right for Me?

Not every conference means you have to fly across the country to attend in-person. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic led organizers to increasingly offer more flexible, virtual alternatives to make their events more convenient for attendees. Today, choosing the right type of conference for your objectives and budget means considering not just speaker lineups, but event locations and formats as well. 

In-Person vs Virtual vs Hybrid: Which Is Best?

Digital marketing conferences come in three main flavors: 

• In-person events are what many marketing professionals picture when they think about conferences. This conference type is especially great for networking and making face-to-face connections, as well as participating in lively breakout sessions, engaging workshops, and other activities.
• Online or virtual events happen entirely online. There are clear pros and cons to this type of conference. On one hand, they’re extremely convenient, inclusive, and accessible—and don’t require budgeting for travel or accommodations. On the other hand, though, if you’re an extrovert or not comfortable with spending your day in online sessions, you might want to prioritize finding in-person or hybrid events.
• For many people, hybrid events combine the best of both worlds—meaning attendees can choose to attend in-person or virtually. DigiMarCon is an example of this event type, offering virtual conference passes to those who can’t make it to a regional event but don’t want to miss out on the excitement. With a virtual pass, you can access recordings of every session, so you can set your own agenda and not have to worry about missing anything. You can download and listen to sessions on the go, as well, so you don’t have to choose between your busy schedule and attending a conference.

What’s the Difference Between a Conference and a Summit?

The difference is primarily just a matter of terminology; for all intents and purposes, these two terms can be (and often are) used interchangeably. You might also encounter events labeled as forums, as well. 

Summit vs. Conference vs. Forum: A Quick Guide

These terms are often used as synonyms of each other, but if you’re looking for technical differences they primarily center around each event’s purpose and format.

• A summit usually involves high-level leaders and influencers coming together to discuss important, industry-specific issues. They often involve strategy sessions and collaboration, in order to develop new solutions to persistent challenges, for example.
• A conference is more like a mini convention, often designed to accommodate a broad crowd of interested parties who can network, share ideas, engage in hands-on workshops or strategy sessions, and listen to keynote speakers and thought leaders.
• A forum is a specific, topic-centered discussion that allows participants to share ideas, get feedback, and work together to address specific issues or challenges. Most summits and conferences involve forums as one component of their wider agenda.

What Is a Digital Summit? 

It’s important to differentiate between a (lower-case) digital conference or summit and the specific (upper-case) Digital Summit event series. As you continue reading this article, just keep that in mind. Next, let’s shift our focus to the Digital Summit conference, and some of its top alternatives.

How Does an Online Summit Work? 

Attending an online conference or virtual summit—meaning an event you don’t attend in person—allows you to experience events you might otherwise not be able to afford (due to travel costs, for example). Most conferences that offer a virtual attendance option take great care to ensure that their online attendees receive the same value as their in-person counterparts, meaning you won’t have to worry about missing out.

What Is the Digital Summit Conference?

Digital Summit is a digital marketing conference that’s grown in popularity since its first event in 2008. A few fast facts:

• How Many Digital Summit Events Are There? With 14 Digital Summit events spread across the U.S., it’s not too difficult to find an event in your region. You can see Digital Summit’s 2025 locations and dates here.
• What Is the Digital Summit Audience Size? With so many different events, it’s difficult to estimate the total attendance for Digital Summit’s events. Attendance varies by location, and by year. For example, while Digital Summit Minneapolis saw or expected around 5,000 attendees in 2023, Digital Summit Dallas was projected to draw a 3x larger audience of around 15,000 in 2025.
• Who Speaks at Digital Summit 2025? Some of Digital Summit’s highest-profile 2025 speakers include thought leaders from high-profile companies like Amazon, Google, LinkedIn, Spotify, and Zillow.
• What Are the Digital Summit 2025 Dates? In 2025, Digital Summit events took place across over a dozen U.S. cities, from Orlando, Florida, in February through Portland, Oregon, in December. (Note: As of this writing, Digital Summit has not announced its 2025 dates and locations.)

So, is Digital Summit a good conference? It really depends on what you’re looking for, and who you ask. You’ll discover this quickly if you read many Digital Summit reviews online or browse for information about digital marketing conferences on Reddit or a similar website. You should know, though, that Digital Summit’s not the only event on the block—and it may not be the most worthwhile for you. Ultimately, it depends on your priorities, as well as the specific type of experience (or outcomes) you’re after. Next, let’s look at a few of the top Digital Summit alternatives. 

What Are The Best Digital Marketing Conferences for 2025?

Like Digital Summit, the most successful marketing conferences occur on an annual basis, refreshing their agenda each year with the speakers, topics, and activities that are trending that year. Over the past few years, a handful of events have emerged as among the nation’s best marketing conferences for 2025/25, based on their offerings and attendance. Some of the best conferences include…

CommerceNext Growth Show

This event was most recently held in New York City, NY, from June 11-13. It featured speakers from brands that include Fanatics, Patagonia, Lowes, Sephora, and more. The 2025 conference will be held in the same location, from June 24-26.

CXO 2.0 Conference USA

The CX 2.0 Conference for 2025 took place from March 18-20 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Speakers included representatives from Bungalow, Realty.com, Moden Realty, and more. In 2025, the CXO 2.0 stays in Las Vegas, and will be held at Luxor Hotel & Casino from March 4-6.

DigiMarCon Global Conference & Exhibition Series

Instead of a single, standalone conference, DigiMarCon instead offers a series of dozens of events, spread across 21 U.S. cities and over a dozen international locations throughout the globe, making it the world’s largest digital marketing, media, and advertising conference and exhibition series. 

• If you’re wondering whether there will be a DigiMarCon in your area in 2025, we recommend bookmarking DigiMarCon’s Events page to keep up-to-date with upcoming events, locations, and dates.

TECHSPO Global Technology Expo Series

Similar to DigiMarCon, the TECHSPO event series includes locations throughout the United States, as well as select international destinations. The 2025 event lineup started in Los Angeles, California, on April 11-12, and wraps up its US series with events in Denver, Phoenix, and Las Vegas.

Adobe/Marketo Summit

Each year, Adobe sponsors a three-day program of keynote addresses, networking activities, and more. You can learn about topics like harnessing generative AI, optimizing your marketing strategies, leveraging data to improve personalization. This event was most recently held in Las Vegas, Nevada (March 26-28, 2024)—and 2025’s is scheduled for March 18-20, 2025 (also in Las Vegas).

Top 5 Reasons to Attend a DigiMarCon Event This Year

So you want to attend a conference this year but aren’t quite sure which one’s right for you and your business? There are plenty of reasons to include DigiMarCon in your shortlist. Consider this: by attending an upcoming DigiMarCon, you can expect to…

1. Gain New Insights and Inspiration

By attending a DigiMarCon event, you’ll be introduced to the latest trends and techniques for amplifying your brand, generating customer loyalty, increasing digital engagement, and similar topics. No matter what you’re reason for attending, you’ll almost certainly come away with valuable new ideas and a refreshed mindset. 

For many attendees, the energy at these events is contagious, and most come away with more value than they may have anticipated! Whether your focus is sales, marketing, design, or technology, DigiMarCon offers something for everyone.

2. Establish Your Presence

There’s no wrong way to attend a conference. Some attendees prefer to act as sponges, soaking up every new insight they can. Others prioritize hands-on workshops or strategy sessions. Whatever your reasons for coming, DigiMarCon isn’t just about learning—it’s also about connecting with others and sharing ideas. 

Don’t be afraid to participate in discussions, asking questions and providing your own insights—before you know it, you’ll be on your way to becoming an influencer or thought leader in your own right! 

3. Set Your Own Agenda

As mentioned above, DigiMarCon offers a wide range of speakers, sessions, and activities, so no two attendees’ experiences are going to be identical. That’s a good thing! The last thing most attendees want is to leave the conference feeling like they didn’t get their money’s worth; like many conferences, DigiMarCon publishes downloadable brochures in advance of its events, so you can make a plan before you attend. 

4. Expand Your Network

Attending a conference like DigiMarCon provides more benefits than just learning new ideas. One of the biggest reasons many people attend conferences is to expand their professional network. Whether you’re looking to make valuable connections with big names in your industry or simply expand your network, attending a conference is one of the best and most cost-effective ways to do so. You might even be able to meet some of your online connections or customer contacts in person.

5. Know What’s Coming Next

Understanding the current state of your industry is important, but so is looking toward the future. At DigiMarCon, you can hear from thought leaders who bring, in many cases, decades of experience and expertise. By attending their sessions, you’ll be able to leave the conference with a broader understanding of not just your industry’s current challenges, but the challenges that loom over the horizon, too. 

Making the Most of Your Conference Experience

Considering attending DigiMarCon or another event this year, but you still aren’t sure whether it’s going to be worth it? There are several ways you can maximize the benefits of the conference. Here are a few tips:

Review the Agenda in Advance

As a forward-thinking marketing pro, you have plenty of options when it comes to conferences you might attend. As you evaluate your options, you can also do a little preparation in advance by reviewing the conference’s topics, agenda, and speakers. That way you can make sure the conference is going to align with your objectives and even start plotting out your own agenda.

Get Familiar with the Space

If you’re attending an in-person conference, the last thing you want is for your experience to be derailed by stress and confusion as you navigate the packed conference hall. Before attending, you can reduce stress by planning in advance where you’ll need to be, where you can (and can’t) park, and other practical details. If you’re attending virtually, make sure you have the right equipment, and that it’s working properly. Don’t wait until the last minute, in case you have to download any new applications or updates.

Plan For Being away from the Workplace

You want to be able to fully focus on the conference itself—and not constantly checking and replying to work emails. Obviously, you should make your coworkers aware of where you’re going (and why), but you should also set an out-of-office reply so no customers or other contacts are left waiting for a response that might not come right away.

Make a List of What You’ll Need to Bring with You

For in-person events, you should prepare a list of everything you need to bring with you for the conference. This includes technology (and charging devices), as well as. It also includes practical considerations, like note-taking materials and snacks to keep you alert between sessions.

Make a Plan

The best events offer a wide range of high-quality speakers and valuable workshops and sessions to choose from. You almost certainly won’t be able to experience it all, underscoring the importance of planning ahead. Planning ahead means bringing everything you’ll need (see above), as well as plotting out your daily schedule(s). Don’t forget to schedule time for mental breaks and meals!

To give you a good idea of the topic variety you can expect from DigiMarCon, this year’s events have addressed topics including:

• Content Marketing
• Conversion Rate Optimization
• Customer Engagement
• Data Science & Big Data
• Digital Strategy
• Email Marketing
• Geo-Targeting
• Marketing & Sales Automation
• Mobile Marketing & Retargeting
• Predictive Analysis & Attribution
• Search Engine Optimization
• Social Media Marketing
• Sustainable Growth Strategies
• Targeting & Optimization
• Usability & Design
• User Acquisition
• Video Marketing
• Web Analytics & A/B Testing

Where Can I Learn More about DigiMarCon?

The DigiMarCon website is the best place to learn about upcoming events, including their agendas. There you can…

• View Upcoming Events: With over 40 events worldwide, you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding an upcoming event in your region. From there, you can view individual event websites and program brochures.
• Decide How You Prefer to Attend: DigiMarCon events are open to in-person as well as virtual participants. On our Events page, you can see each conference’s dates and specific location, and easily purchase your ticket.
• Justify the Trip: It’s not always easy finding room in the marketing budget for conferences and other events, so it’s important to be able to justify the trip. In other words, you’ll need to be able to demonstrate how attending a particular event can help you achieve your highest-priority marketing objectives.
• Make a Plan: DigiMarCon events are packed with quality speakers and sessions, but if you go into one without a plan you might miss out on some of the best opportunities. As you review the agenda in advance, identify your “can’t-miss” sessions, to make sure you get the most value out of the event.
• Purchase Your Ticket: When you’re ready to commit, buying a pass is easy. From the Events page, simply find the conference you want to attend, click the “Buy Passes” button, and follow the on-screen prompts to complete your registration.

Register for an Upcoming DigiMarCon Event

DigiMarCon hosts dozens of events throughout the year and across the globe, meaning there’s probably an upcoming event in your region. As of this writing, a handful of U.S. events remain—in Denver (DigiMarCon Rocky Mountains; October 21-22), Phoenix (DigiMarCon Southwest; October 24-25), and Las Vegas (DigiMarCon World; October 28-30)—with the series set to begin anew in 2025.