5 Can’t-Miss Digital Publishing Conferences 

Since the introduction of the Kindle in 2007, the publishing world has been hard at work figuring out how to translate their large libraries of print titles for digital devices, using technology to find innovative ways to enrich the reading and learning experience on mobile. With the digital publishing industry still in its infancy, no one has all the answers, but everyone has lots of ideas. One of the best ways to stay on top of a fast-evolving industry is to attend conferences and learn how others are tackling the same challenges. Here are the five digital publishing conferences that we think should be on any publishing professional’s must-attend list.

Learn from the industry’s veterans: IDPF Digital Book at BEA (Book Expo America). Hosted in conjunction with Book Expo America, the largest North American publishing industry conference, IDPF (International Digital Publishing Forum) gathers executives, authors, designers, developers, technologists, and marketers to discuss key issues that affect the advancement of the publishing industry in an increasingly digital world. Conference attendees and participants spend two days sharing insights and best practices through keynote presentations, group workshops and panel discussions. This year’s event just took place on May 28 and 29, but it’s never too early to start planning for next year’s event, which will also be in the spring in New York City.

Get to know the disruptors: Digital Publishing Innovation Summit. This digital publishing conference brings together established big players in publishing and digital content production with up-and-coming startups that are rapidly changing the face of the industry. The Innovation Enterprise group hosts three events annually that are dedicated to to all things digital publishing. This year, the first is in New York City, July 16 and 17, followed by a London conference on October 22 and 23, and a San Francisco edition on December 10 and 11. These events include a stacked roster of heavy-hitters in media and publishing, ranging from BuzzFeed to Fast Company and Conde Nast.

Make it an international affair: Publishing for Digital Minds Conference. As a part of the London Book Fair, one of the most well-attended publishing conferences in the world, Publishing for Digital Minds is a breakout conference dedicated to highlighting innovations in digital content, with a particular focus on the European companies that are making a difference in the way digital content is produced and consumed. Next year’s event takes place on April 14 through 16, 2015.

Take an analytical approach: Digital Book World. Hosted in New York City, next year’s conference takes place on January 13-15, 2015. This event brings together over 1,000 professionals focused on developing, building and transforming their organizations to compete in the new digital publishing environment. The Digital Book World Conference takes a holistic approach to analyzing the evolving digital publishing industry. This digital publishing conference covers topics varying from publishing ecosystems, data-driven decision making, developing business models, marketing your content, and publishing in a global economy.

Participate in the discussion: SXSW Interactive. Hosted in Austin, Texas from March 7-11, 2015, SXSW (South by Southwest) is one of the largest technology think tank conferences in the country. The Interactive portion of the conference acts as an incubator of cutting-edge technologies and digital creativity. While topics at this event are not limited to digital publishing, a number of the presentations offer compelling insights into how emerging technologies will impact the ways we use our mobile devices, including for content consumption. One unique aspect of SXSW is the ability for the public to vote on the presentations or panel discussions they would be most interested in hearing. And, anyone can submit to be a speaker. So, if you have an interesting story to tell, or if you want to help shape the conversation at an industry event, this is the conference for you.

Header photo courtesy of Book Expo America. What conference will you be attending? Let us know in the comments section.