To be a graphic designer in the digital marketing arena, is to be in an industry of constant change. New technologies, new trends and new ways of communication are constantly introduced. In order to stay relevant, it is important to keep your skills and knowledge up to date. One of my favorite ways of doing this is by attending digital marketing conferences. In my experience, digital marketing conferences are a much more engaging, and many times a more cost-effective, way to continue design and marketing education. Digital marketing conferences offer other benefits such as:

• Discussing common issues in your field
• Learning new skills and techniques
• Growing your network of peers to enhance your professional knowledge base
• Discovering new technologies
• Getting out from behind your computer screen and engaging in social interaction
• Rekindling your passion for design and marketing

There are dozens of digital marketing conferences offered every year. While I would like to attend as many as possible, unfortunately a little thing called a job gets in the way. Were time and money not an obstacle, I would attend the following digital marketing conference in 2015.

Summit. The Digital Marketing Conference

When: March 9-13, 2015
Where: Salt Lake City, Utah
Summary: Reinvention is a journey. Continue yours at Summit. The digital landscape is changing and marketers need to reinvent themselves and their strategies to succeed. Join over 5,000 marketing leaders at Adobe Summit to explore the latest trends, ideas, and best practices for getting better results from your digital experiences.

Click Z Live New York

When: March 30-April 1, 2015
Where: New York, New York
Summary: With over 15 years of experience delivering the most cutting edge digital marketing events around the world, ClickZ Live (formerly SES Conference & Expo) provides an unrivalled forum to hear from world-renowned speakers as they deliver an action packed, educationally focused agenda on the latest digital marketing tips, tricks and tools that will blow your mind, make you re-think your strategy and provide actionable takeaways to revolutionize your marketing campaign.

An Event Apart

When: May 11-13, 2015
Where: Boston, Massachusetts
Summary: The design conference for people who make websites. An Event Apart Boston is an intensely educational learning session for passionate practitioners of standards-based web design. If you care about code as well as content, usability as well as design, An Event Apart is the conference you’ve been waiting for.

SmashingConf New York 2015

When: June 15-18, 2015
Where: New York, New York
Summary: After the great success of last year’s New York conference, we’re bringing the SmashingConf back to the Big Apple. The rules haven’t changed: “2 days, one track, 18 brilliant speakers, and hands-on, practical and useful talks.” As always we have phenomenal speakers lined up.

Inbound 2015

When: September 8-11, 2015
Where: Boston, Massachusetts
Summary: INBOUND fuels the passion that drives the most innovative and successful business leaders of our time. INBOUND's purpose is to provide the inspiration, education, and connections you need to transform your business. This September, we will host thousands of marketing and sales professionals from almost every industry imaginable and from all corners of the globe at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. In 2014, we had 10,000+ attendees from all around the world and we're excited to be bigger than ever this year.