SEO (search engine optimization) took the marketing world by storm and it’s far from dead, as some people tend to believe.
A traffic and revenue source without cost-per-click? Yes, please!
Businesses from all industries are deferring dollars from paid marketing channels in favor of cheaper channels like affiliate marketing and SEO. That’s making SEO even more competitive (and lucrative) if done right.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur, in-house digital marketer, agency marketer, or a freelancer, you want to stay on top of SEO industry trends.
Doing so will make you a better SEO and more importantly, a better businessperson — make no mistake, driving targeted traffic to a website drives revenue.
A great SEO conference:
- has incredible speakers with deep domain expertise
- has opportunities for networking in fun ways
- is affordable
- and hopefully is in a great location
I’ve been in the SEO industry for 10+ years. These are the best SEO conferences out there. And I’ve been to more conferences than I can count — I know what I’m talking about!
Which are the Best SEO Conferences on Earth?
We curated an updated list of various SEO conferences across the country, what they’re about, and our take on them.
These are the best SEO conferences.
1. Content Marketing World
Content Marketing World is an annual conference for content marketers in every niche. Whether you’re in IT, fintech, media, wellness, or any other industry, this conference will connect you with other content professionals in your niche.
Many past attendees praise the conference for its endless actionable insights, reputable speakers, and variety of sessions. Some of this year’s speakers are top content professionals from Google — the entity applying SEO the most! Other notable brands include Salesforce, LinkedIn, and Microsoft, as well as some successful start-up content marketing brands.
Focus: All things Content SEO — creation, ROI, conversion, strategy, storytelling, and more.
Cost: $1,999 (in-person); $999 (online)
Notable Speakers:
- Jessica Bergman, VP of Content Marketing, Salesforce
- Dale Bertrand, Content and SEO Strategist, Fire&Spark
- Hassan Minhaj, Comedian
- Bert Van Loon, Co-Founder, Content Marketing Fast Forward
- Alison Jarris, Global Demand Content Marketing Lead, Google Cloud, Google
Sponsors:
- MarketMuse
- Crowd Content
- Vidyard
- Sitecore
Location: San Diego, California
Date: September 15-17, 2025
What We Think:
We love this conference’s emphasis on storytelling over advertising and lead generation through intentional copy.
2. SMX (Search Marketing Expo) Next and Advanced
SMX offers two notable SEO conferences — SMX Next and SMX Advanced. This is a conference for the search marketer that lives and breathes SEO in their day-to-day work. The expo is reputable, having presented the conference annually for the last 15 years.
Considering that SMX Next is free and virtual, the value is unbeatable. You’ll learn about Google’s algorithm updates, recent tech, landing page optimization, and much more. Every content marketer should consider attending with a notepad to jot down the current trends and actionable tips.
Focus: Technical, Content, eCommerce SEO
Cost: Free for the online event and $1,595 for the in-person event.
Notable Speakers:
- Avinash Konda, Director of Organic Growth, William Sonoma
- Jori Ford, CMO, Food Boss
- Carlos Meza, CEO, Crowd Content
- Nadiia Sharipova, Head of Performance Marketing, Wrike
Location: Virtual and in person (Boston)
Date:
- Virtual event: November 18-19, 2022
- In-person event: June 11 - 13, 2025
What We Think:
SMX is a fantastic resource for today’s SEO professional but it falls short in the networking category. A solely virtual conference makes genuine connections more difficult.
3. MozCon
MozCon hosts are a well-respected SEO industry name — Moz. MozCon dives DEEP into SEO tactics, from SERP strategy and link building to keyword research and audience personas.
There are two MozCon conferences in 2025, with the one being in London on the 12th of August and the other in New York on the 6th of November.
The conference features high-up content and SEO figures in lucrative companies like Uber but also showcases SEO consultants who work independently.
Focus: Technical and Content SEO, including SERPS, link building, organic traffic, and SEO for different types of content
Cost: $499 for the early bird discount, $649 after the early bird discount closes.
Notable Speakers:
- Emily Brady, SEO Consultant
- Will Critchlow, Founder and CEO, SearchPilot
- Jackie Chu, SEO Lead, Intelligence, Uber
Location: Londong and New York
Date: August 12th, and November 6th.
What We Think:
Moz is a highly reputable name in the SEO industry, and they put on an incredibly detailed conference. We’re impressed with the sheer variety of SEO topics on their roster and love how they discuss SEO for every possible content type(landing pages, product descriptions, eCommerce, and more).
4. INBOUND Conference by Hubspot
Hubspot is a marketing platform that supports business with sales, customer relationships, and more.
The company hosts INBOUND every year, where marketing and agency professionals can connect over dedicated “community” sessions and listen to keynote speakers and case studies.
While the conference doesn’t revolve entirely around SEO, it covers enough SEO topics to interest us. You can learn about SEO personas and (our favorite) scaling SEO at INBOUND.
Focus: Sales, Marketing, Customer Success — Some SEO topics like SEO personas and SEO professional meetups
Cost: $1,599 (in-person)
Notable Speakers:
- TJ Adeshola, Head of Global Content Partnerships, Twitter
- Yamini Rangan, CEO, Hubspot
- Dale Bertrand, CEO, Fire&Spark
- Rory Hope, Team Manager, SEO, Hubspot
- Jeff Ponchick, Soundcloud, Head of Creator
- Jen Spencer, CEO, Smartbug Media®
Location: San Francisco
Sponsors:
- Intuit Quickbooks
- Monday.com
- Vidyard
Date: September 3-5, 2025
What We Think:
We see INBOUND as a fabulous supplemental conference to attend, but it’s not your go-to for nitty-gritty SEO topics. Branding, customer experience, and conversational marketing are all critical aspects of business that SEO professionals should consider as a backdrop to their important work.
5. The MarTech Summit
The MarTech conference caters to executive leaders and features many CEOs, Marketing Heads, and founders of successful global companies. It covers numerous topics that offer a visionary, big-picture perspective to content marketing, including SEO & SEM, IT, digital strategy, and customer experience.
MarTech is hosted throughout the year at different locations all over the world.
Focus: Marketing Technology — SEO & SEM, Digital Transformation, Automation, CRM, and more
Sponsors:
- ON24
- Twitch
- Asana
- Meta (Facebook)
- SimilarWeb
- Kaltura
- Cheetah Digital
Cost: $395
Notable Speakers:
- Daniele Longo, Global Head of Digital Marketing, Western Union
- Keith Mowbray, Head of Digital Marketing, Towergate Insurance
- Radmila Blazheska, Chief Marketing Officer, SecurityHQ
- Kal Vaugn, Head of Digital Marketing Technology and Operations, Janes (Defense and Space)
Location: Virtual & In-Person
Date: All throughout the year.
What We Think:
This SEO conference is a fantastic match for executives and company leaders. Although many sessions cover the more specific SEO topics we’re after, you won’t find as much of an executive focus with other conferences. The MarTech Summit offers private executive workshops and ample networking opportunities.
6. Conductor C3 Conference
Conductor is an organic marketing platform that dives deep into SEO, both for small businesses and large enterprises. It’s only fitting that we’d include their dedicated SEO conference on our list.
The Conductor C3 conference covers topics like brand visibility, organic marketing strategy, SERPs, and more. You’ll find a wide range of speakers, including a nice mix of SEO leaders across retail, finance, entertainment, and other industries.
Focus: Content and SEO Marketing — SEO careers, strategies, tech, B2B, and more.
Sponsors:
- SEMRush
- Xivic
- Clear Voice
- iQuanti
- Amsive Digital
Cost: $450 for the standard ticket
Notable Speakers:
- Patricia Atrian, SEO Director, Live Nation
- Matt O’Such, VP of SEO, Getty Images & iStockPhoto
- Carla Piñeyro Sublett, SVP, IBM
- Christina Bronzo, SEO Senior Marketing Manager, Fossil Group
- Katie Greenwood, SEO Strategy Director, Conductor
Location: New York
Date: October 9, 2025
What We Think:
Conductor does a great job at including SEO heads and executives from a wide range of industries. The conference innovation lab offers a free organic marketing consultation — bonus!
7. State of Search Conference
The State of Search Conference takes place in Texas every year and promises a “Texas-sized dose” of SEO insights, innovation, and industry know-how. This is a great conference for anyone that gets down and dirty with SEO and needs to learn about the latest algorithms and social media updates.
Focus: SEO Programming — Local SEO, Technical SEO, Social Media Marketing
Cost: $997 for the in-person event
Sponsors:
- Page One Power
Location: Grapevine, Texas
Date: October 27-28, 2025
What We Think:
State of Search is an affordable SEO conference, perfect for sending a team of SEO strategists. Its specific SEO topics like link building, paid media, and analytics will support any company’s marketing from the bottom up.
Conclusion
That’s a wrap on our favorite SEO conferences! No matter your content focus or budget, one of them is bound to help you press forward with your SEO goals.
