Which industry conferences ?

[thebookiesoffers]

I think a lot of us are mate. Just try to meet as many people as you can in the first one you go to and the next time you'll go you'll know tons of people - so arrange a bunch of meetings, go to the social events etc.. Also let people know you don't know anyone and it's your first time and you'll get a ton of introductions.

Plus in the bars etc.. most people are happy for you to just go up to them and chat - we're all in the same business, after all.

Also we didn't do it last year as the bar was weird, but the year before a bunch of gpwa'ers arranged to meet at the welcome drinks (plus 'bookies likes to play 'last one to the bar's a nob') - we should try and do that again in 2015.

haha forgot about that lol. hope it aint at the same place as like you said the bar was pretty small and crap for the welcome drinks

[baldidiot]

haha forgot about that lol. hope it aint at the same place as like you said the bar was pretty small and crap for the welcome drinks

Next years LAC is at Olympia, so it'd be different for sure - fingers crossed for a better welcome drinks bar!

[Christiaan]

I can only confirm what the others say. I also go alone to all the conferences. The LAC in 2013 was my first conference. It was very frightening for me to go to a conference alone. But now after some conferences I know many people and always have someone to talk to.

The people at the gambling conferences are very social and it is easy to make new contacts. I've also been to other IT related confrences and there it is harder to start a conversation with other people.

[Renee]

So am I mate (one man band), Old Billingsgate was brilliant as a few people can comfirm I loved the pub across the road so used to pop over there for a drink 4-5 times during the day between meetings. I'll talk to anyone, I aint shy making friends. You'll be surprised how many people know who you are and want to talk to you in a social way more than anything, both posters and affiliate managers. Met quite a few random posters on here who I'd have a beer with again no problem, unless Renee can get any worse timing and come over just as Im leaving haha

Yeah my timing was awful, although you looked so deep in conversation I didn't want to interrupt. I'm polite like that

(plus 'bookies likes to play 'last one to the bar's a nob')

I knew I missed something...

As others have said, there's always going to be another person walking around on their own, so you make friends at the welcome drinks and you have people you can talk to when you see them around. Sometimes you will just end up walking around with people without even organising it.

In my opinion, London is the best conference to go to. It's by far the biggest event in terms of area as well as the number of people who attend. In fact I'd go as far to say that it's too big. There's never enough time to see everyone you want to and this year I missed so many people because it was just so busy.

The supershow is usually the best in its first year in a new location.

I went to Barcelona a couple of times but I think these days it seems to be the smallest of the three and being so far away it's not worth it for us to spend the time/money travelling so far.

[jamie78john]

London conference rox

[www.arbusers.com]

Is it true that the first and last days of any conference dont worth the time?
I m about to attend the Barcelona Affiliate Conference and I was wondering is there something to gain from the SEO speakers, or is it going to be knowledge from open sources available to all?

[clarar]

I also hate talking on the phone... and thats actually bad as an affiliate manager. I found out that meeting affiliates in person works better for me, specially because you can really meet the people you are working with from a different perspective

I think that LAC is the most productive one and Barcelona is really fun! you get to the best parties that last until late in the morning. Awesome!

[DanHorvat]

you make friends at the welcome drinks

That's good unless you meet an annoying person who just won't leave you alone for the rest of the show.

Sometimes you will just end up walking around with people without even organising it.

Strange things do happen. Remind me to tell you a story.

Is it true that the first and last days of any conference dont worth the time?

There are only two days mate, the first and the last.

[thebookiesoffers]

Is it true that the first and last days of any conference dont worth the time?
I m about to attend the Barcelona Affiliate Conference and I was wondering is there something to gain from the SEO speakers, or is it going to be knowledge from open sources available to all?

The day before is worth it as you can preregister so avoid all that crap the next day, plus getting to meet people, never bothered staying for the last day after the conference.

In regards to the speakers, and this is only one example, i watched a video from one conference and this "expert" was telling everyone to respin article thousands of times and then blast them all over the internet, yeah brilliant if you want a big google slap. End of the day if these so called experts knew everything why aren't they out ranking everyone for the biggest and best keywords across the industry

[benl12]

I m about to attend the Barcelona Affiliate Conference and I was wondering is there something to gain from the SEO speakers, or is it going to be knowledge from open sources available to all?

You can find some of the more recent talks here http://www.igbaffiliate.com/resources/videos and older ones on youtube https://www.youtube.com/user/iGBAffiliate/videos

I don't think there's anything new. I don't go to them any more. The ones I did used to go to felt either, totally obvious, sales pitches or just nonsense. Thebookiesoffers is correct I think "End of the day if these so called experts knew everything why aren't they out ranking everyone for the biggest and best keywords across the industry"

[Christiaan]

I don't think it is worth going to a gambling conference for the SEO speakers. What they tell at the conferences is mostly what you can find from open sources.

The conferences are good to meet people/companies.

[Renee]

That's good unless you meet an annoying person who just won't leave you alone for the rest of the show.


Strange things do happen. Remind me to tell you a story.


There are only two days mate, the first and the last.

LOL I imagine your annoying person and your story may coincide?

[mojo]

Which industry conferences are best to go to and why ?

None.

If you think you have to go to a conf to be successful then you don't know this biz. Don't listen to the propaganda!

[DanHorvat]

LOL I imagine your annoying person and your story may coincide?

No, the clown was in London and the story is a fresh one from Ams.

If you won't be angry next time...

[www.arbusers.com]

There are only two days mate, the first and the last.

I think you are missing something.
http://www.igbaffiliate.com/events/b...rence/schedule
There is a Day 4 as well, and it has a schedule as well.

[www.arbusers.com]

I don't think it is worth going to a gambling conference for the SEO speakers. What they tell at the conferences is mostly what you can find from open sources.

The conferences are good to meet people/companies.

Much appreciated, thanks.

[Christiaan]

No, the clown was in London and the story is a fresh one from Ams.

If you won't be angry next time...

I hope I'm not the subject of your story. We met in Amsterdam

[Renee]

No, the clown was in London and the story is a fresh one from Ams.

If you won't be angry next time...

I won't be angry. I promise

I think you are missing something.
http://www.igbaffiliate.com/events/b...rence/schedule
There is a Day 4 as well, and it has a schedule as well.

The first and last day of the 4 days is not conference. There are 2 days of conference. The first day is when people are arriving and there are "welcome drinks" in the afternoon for people to start networking and meeting people while they are getting settled into the hotel and registering for the conference, and the last day is when everyone is going home. Some people stay for the "notworkers" drinks but there is not supposed to be any business done there. It is organised for people to wind down.

A lot of people just come in for the 2 days of the actual conference since quite a lot of people live in Europe and are pretty close.

These events are quite an adrenalin rush. If you've been around for as long as I have, you see people you make good friendships with over the years every 6-12 months and it's intense catching up and having a laugh, plus working and being on your feet the entire day is quite exhausting too. I've never been high but I can only imagine the few days after the conference is like a come down in a way. It's quite depressing, so the wind down on the last day is nice to say goodbye to everyone, but pulls a few heart strings sometimes because you just don't know when or if you'll see those people again. As much as I hate the flight over, I always get over that hate as soon as I see everyone in the hotel lobby checking in.

I hope I'm not the subject of your story. We met in Amsterdam

Hahahaha paranoid much?

[DanHorvat]

I think you are missing something.
http://www.igbaffiliate.com/events/b...rence/schedule
There is a Day 4 as well, and it has a schedule as well.

The conference takes place on days 2 and 3, the rest shouldn't be taken seriously.

[edwardNT]

If you got to pick between Barcelona and Malta which you would preffer?