Our original conference guide was published on December 7, 2012, as affiliate managers and partners planned the year ahead. The calendar below preserves the 2013 events, dates and locations featured in that post. It is a historical reference for that year's industry calendar.
The reason we assembled it still matters: relationships are central to affiliate marketing. Conferences give merchants, publishers, networks and agencies time to compare notes, understand each other's priorities and explore opportunities that are difficult to develop through email alone.
In the original guide, we highlighted a mix of affiliate-specific events and broader search, content and digital marketing conferences. Some focused on the mechanics of running a program. Others helped attendees understand the channels and audiences surrounding it.
January 2013
New Media Expo (NMX)
January 6–8, 2013 — Las Vegas, Nevada
Presented by BlogWorld, NMX brought together bloggers, podcasters and web video creators. Our guide highlighted its focus on content, social media, distribution and monetization, along with opportunities to meet people developing tools and strategies for creators.
For affiliate managers, the appeal was the opportunity to understand how publishers built their audiences and what they needed from commercial partners.
Affiliate Summit West 2013
January 13–15, 2013 — Las Vegas, Nevada
Affiliate Summit West offered a combination of affiliate industry education and networking among publishers, merchants and agencies. We included it as an entry point for newcomers as well as a place for experienced professionals to exchange ideas and strengthen relationships.
March 2013
Search Marketing Expo — SMX West
March 11–13, 2013 — San Jose, California
SMX West covered search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, social media and related areas of digital marketing. The original guide noted programming led by the editors of Search Engine Land.
The connection to affiliate management was practical: understanding search and paid media helped teams evaluate partner activity and coordinate affiliate work with the broader marketing plan.
SES New York
March 25–28, 2013 — New York City, New York
SES New York appeared in our calendar for its marketing and advertising education, including mobile marketing, link building and display advertising. It also offered a setting to meet professionals working across those disciplines.
April 2013
ad:tech San Francisco
April 9–10, 2013 — San Francisco, California
Our original description highlighted digital marketing presentations alongside smaller classroom-style sessions and hands-on workshops on the expo floor. That variety gave attendees different ways to learn and discuss implementation.
Affiliate Management Days
April 16–17, 2013 — San Francisco, California
Affiliate Management Days was the entry most directly focused on the work of managing affiliate programs. The topics listed in our guide included recruitment, legislative issues, compliance, enforcement and affiliate fraud.
Its inclusion reflected an important distinction: operating a program requires dedicated management knowledge in addition to general marketing experience.
PubCon
April 22–25, 2013 — New Orleans, Louisiana
We featured PubCon for its coverage of search, social media, internet marketing and online advertising. It was another opportunity for affiliate professionals to learn how adjacent channels influenced audience development and customer acquisition.
August 2013
Affiliate Summit East 2013
August 18–20, 2013 — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The original guide noted that Affiliate Summit East moved to Philadelphia after several years in New York City. It offered the affiliate-focused learning and networking opportunities associated with its West Coast counterpart.
Our separate Affiliate Summit East 2013 preparation guide provides more context on how we advised attendees to plan for that edition.
October 2013
Search Marketing Expo — SMX East
October 1–3, 2013 — New York, New York
SMX East rounded out the calendar with search and online marketing education for attendees who could not join the spring event in San Jose, or who wanted another opportunity to learn and network later in the year.
The planning principle behind the calendar
The original list was a starting point for deciding where to spend time and travel budget. Its lasting lesson is to choose an event according to the people you need to meet and the knowledge your program needs.
A productive conference plan includes specific meeting objectives, relevant sessions and time for follow-up. The conversation at an exhibit booth may begin a relationship; the work after the event determines what that relationship becomes.
