Social media and marketing conferences in 2025

Hey there 👋

Until late last year, I hadn’t seriously considered attending IRL events. Sure, I was down to attend and even speak at online conferences, but IRL seemed out of the way for my remote working self.

That was until word of SXSW in London reached me. Now, I’m counting down the days till my first international industry conference. Why am I so into conferences? Glad you asked.

Remote work is great, but I’m especially excited about face-to-face networking and learning that Zoom just can't replicate and connect with people who use Buffer every day. I’m also excited to chat with industry leaders and experts and potentially collaborate with them.

So, in the spirit of getting back into conferences, today’s deep dive is focused on some events happening throughout the year that have caught my eye.

Let’s get into it.

Have a lovely weekend, and we’ll see you next Friday!

Warmly, 

Tami & the Buffer team

💌 What’s in this issue – 6 minute read

• 💻 The latest content on the blog

• 📰 Social media news and features to note

• 🔨 How to switch your Connect button on LinkedIn

• 🪂 Dive into our recommendations for conferences in 2025

• 🎬 Our latest YouTube video

👇 The latest from the blog

• Read our simple guide to creating content for social media

• Discover which AI chatbots are best for creators

• Learn how to create a social media dashboard from scratch

• Get the top tips from this consultant on using LinkedIn as a source of new clients

🪂 Deep dive 

Your Guide to Marketing & Creator Conferences in 2025

At Buffer, we take a strategic approach to conferences, prioritizing events that align with our goals. We focus on conferences hosted by our integration partners (like Meta and Threads API Summits), those where our team can speak and share insights, and those that help us better understand our customers.

Last year, we invested around $7,000 in conference participation, covering everything from tickets to travel. It’s been worth it — events like SaaStr, WWDC, and the Meta Conference have provided valuable learning and networking opportunities.

In 2025, we’re continuing this focus, and I’ll personally be at SXSW London. Let’s connect if you’ll be there!

Let's dive into conferences that deserve your attention this year!

• SXSW Austin (March 7-15, Austin, Texas) – A blend of digital innovation, culture, and technology trends.
• Social Media Marketing World (March 30-April 1, San Diego) – Focused on social media strategies and content marketing.
• Social Media Week by AdWeek (May 12-14, New York) – High-profile sessions on social media, branding, and pop culture.
• SocialDay (May 20-22, London) – A top UK social media marketing conference for content creators and digital strategists.
• SXSW London (June 2-7, Shoreditch, London) – A new European edition of SXSW, spotlighting creativity, technology, and digital culture.
• Cannes Lions Creator Track (June 16-20, Cannes, France) – A premier event for marketers and creators focused on storytelling and innovation.
• VidCon Anaheim (June 19-21, Anaheim, California) – One of the biggest gatherings for digital creators, influencers, and their communities.
• Content Entrepreneur Expo (August 24-26, Virtual) – A deep dive into building and scaling a content-driven business.
• CreatorFest (October 24, London) – A high-energy festival connecting creators with brands and industry leaders.
• Spotlight Conference (October 29, Amsterdam) – A marketing event by Semrush, focused on actionable strategies and networking.
• Web Summit (November 10-13, Lisbon) – A massive global tech conference with insights on digital content, creator platforms, and startup growth.

Ready to take action?

1. Review the conference list and identify your top 3 choices
2. Check early-bird deadlines and pricing
3. Connect with potential attendees on LinkedIn
4. Start planning your learning objectives
5. Book your tickets and travel arrangements early

Remember: The best conference investment aligns with your specific goals and growth areas for the year. Whether you're a creator, marketer, or business owner, there's an event here for you!

🤳 What's happening in social?

• Instagram tests a ‘dislike’ button for comments

• …and upgrades DMs with music-sharing, message scheduling, translation, and more

• Bluesky adds a 'followers only' reply option plus a “search posts” feature for user profiles

📱Social tip of the week

Get the “Follow” button on your LinkedIn profile

1️⃣ Go to your profile settings

2️⃣ Navigate to the Visibility tab and scroll till you see Followers

3️⃣ Toggle the Make Follow Primary option to Yes

And there you go!

⌛ "I save 2 hours per week with Buffer"

We pride ourselves on being an excellent tool for creators and business owners to grow on social media — and our users are more than happy to back us up. 

Michael Piperno says: “What used to take me hours now takes me minutes. Easily 2 hours saved per week.”

Want to skyrocket your growth? Get started with Buffer today!

📹 Buffer on YouTube

The Best Time to Post on TikTok in 2025: 1 Million Posts Analyzed

Does timing matter on TikTok? We analyzed 1 million posts to find out!

One last thing before you go 💟 

Take this 2-minute survey to help us make this newsletter exactly what you want it to be.

Unsubscribe | Update my mail settings 

Sent by the team at Buffer
2443 Fillmore St #380-7163 San Francisco, CA 94115 USA