Our 6 High Summer time and Fall Convention Picks for Creators

It might be midway by way of convention season already, however there are nonetheless so many nice occasions on the market for Patreon creators to attend. Deciding which conferences to indicate up for annually is usually a huge resolution. There are such a lot of components to assume by way of outdoors of worth and site. Some conferences you go to for skilled improvement and to mingle and study from mutuals in your business. Others could provide talking alternatives or the prospect to attach together with your target market. For Patreon creators, conferences are a incredible technique to not solely leverage and market their distinctive experience but in addition meet their on-line neighborhood face-to-face.

For instance, Patreon creators Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat are the hosts of true crime podcast, Crime Junkie, a weekly present that boasts greater than eight million downloads a month. Ashley and Brit carry their “junkies” collectively by providing a particular stage of interplay known as the “Fan Membership”. Apart from their tiered choices of bonus content material and swag, they stage stay recordings and create particular meetups for his or her patrons throughout, however outdoors of the convention or occasion, they’re attending. Their patrons get the good thing about going offline and assembly their favourite podcasters in particular person, nevertheless, meetups and stay occasions are only one doable possibility.

Conferences may also be an awesome place to fulfill potential patrons whereas additionally holding those you have already got within the behind-the-scenes of your skilled life. Conferences additionally present nice advertising alternatives to your membership enterprise, permitting you to construct your social media content material calendar across the hype of every journey all year long.

One other nice alternative it is best to reap the benefits of throughout skilled occasions is what academic alternatives you’ll be able to share together with your viewers. Take into account how one can repackage what you study throughout conferences to present patrons insider entry to the insights {and professional} supplies you decide up throughout occasions.

Principally, they’re loads of methods you’ll be able to leverage conferences to construct your membership enterprise and join together with your viewers. The strategy you’re taking actually relies upon not solely in your model, however the content material, choices, and entry you’ll use to develop fanbase and enterprise.

Overwhelmed? Don’t be! Earlier than you dive into our checklist of must-attend conferences, take into account these items first:

1. Which conferences have you ever attended thus far this yr? Preserve observe of the sorts of occasions you’ve crossed off your checklist and the sorts of occasions you thought have been helpful and which occasions weren’t.
2. What does your schedule permit for? Should you can’t handle a week-long marathon, hold that in thoughts and discover shorter or one-day conferences.
3. The place are your patrons primarily based? If you wish to meet followers face-to-face, be sure you’re occasions that they’ll be capable of attend.
4. What sorts of on-brand choices do you need to concentrate on this yr? If in case you have a podcast or video sequence, for instance, you would possibly need to search for occasions that make it straightforward to create content material on web site.

When you’ve answered these questions, you’ll be capable of begin planning and researching the proper occasions for not solely you however your present and potential patrons.

Now that you simply’re prepared, listed here are a few of our high picks for conferences it is best to attend:

1. VidCon US (July 10-13): Celebrating its 10th anniversary this yr, VidCon US is likely one of the world’s largest occasions for on-line video manufacturers and followers. Scheduled over 4 jam-packed days in Anaheim, CA, town of Disneyland, video creators and patrons can select from a number of tracks: About Group, About Creator, and About Business. Not solely are you able to select a observe, you’ll be capable of get pleasure from a variety of festivals, live shows, and unique programming.
2. Podcast Motion (August 13-16): Should you take into account your self a podcast skilled or aspiring podcaster, you gained’t need to miss this three and a half weekday occasion. Podcast Motion gives academic and informative breakout periods and panels unfold throughout seven tracks, and a variety of networking occasions and events. This convention additionally options business reps from all over the world and entry to the Walt Disney World Resort from its base in Orlando, Florida.
3. DIY Musician (August 16-18): Unbiased music label CD Child hosts its annual weekend convention this yr in Austin, TX. With one-on-one mentoring, “music pitch” periods, music workshops, and periods on constructing your artist model and fan base, DIY Musician is the place to be for impartial musicians. You’ll be able to even get the prospect to showcase your music stay.
4. Author’s Digest Convention (August 22-25): The Author’s Digest Annual Convention helps writers advance their careers creatively and professionally. Centered on providing tricks to write higher and get printed, this 4-day NYC occasion consists of full-day workshops, pitch slams, keynotes, and session tracks. Author’s Digest covers subjects throughout fiction and nonfiction, journalism, writing craft, and profession constructing.
5. World Maker Faire (September 21-22): Calling all creatives and makers! The World Maker Faire in NYC options artists and makers and showcases creativity from style, to science, tech, and artwork. The two-day program covers an unlimited array of talks, performances, demos, cubicles, and workshops. Maker Faire occasions attracted tens of 1000’s of attendees annually. And the very best half? Their name for 2019 makers to showcase opens this month.
6. The Freelance Convention (October 28-29): For these creators who simply need to join with like-minded folks, #FreeCon is a good place to seek out them. Created by freelancers, for freelancers, this occasion explores the gig financial system and small companies as an business, profession, and way of life. This yr primarily based in Austin, TX, attendees can take part in roundtable discussions, micro-talks, interactive panels, and displays.

Do these not match the invoice to your particular convention wants? No worries! There are millions of occasions on the market for each sort of creator and simply as some ways to advertise what you are promoting. We hope this checklist and our suggestions will assist you to begin creating that plan to construct what you are promoting and join together with your neighborhood this summer time!