Each new year brings exciting opportunities to participate in the most prominent public relations and communications conferences around North America and the globe. These events provide the perfect opportunity to:
- Expand your professional network
- Advance your knowledge and professional skills
- Learn about current PR and communications trends
- Hear personal insights and predictions from industry thought leaders
- Get exposure to the latest and greatest innovations in tools and tech
- Benchmark your strategy and performance against peers
- Increase visibility of yourself and your organization
- Reignite your creativity and enthusiasm
Don’t forget to highlight these benefits when making your case for budget to attend professional conferences.
We've curated a list of the top PR conferences and events in 2024 below for you to mark on your calendar and make the most of in the year ahead.
Ragan’s Employee Communications 101 Virtual Conference
When: January 25, 2024
Where: Online
Employees are among the most important shareholders in any company or organization, and effective internal communications leaders understand what drives successful internal communications. This one-day online workshop brings together experts in internal communications to discuss topics ranging from optimizing intranets and newsletters and elevating thought leadership to gathering employee feedback and more.
Learn more at www.ragan.com/store/employee-communications-101.
Ragan’s Public Affairs and Speechwriting Virtual Conference
When: February 21, 2024
Where: Online
Last year’s conference included virtual sessions on topics ranging from inclusive language to navigating social media, to creating purpose-driven communications (which are available on-demand for Ragan members).
Learn more at https://www.ragan.com/store/type/conferences/.
Corporate Communications: Getting the Job Done
When: February 29 - March 1, 2024
Where: New York City, NY
This conference is designed especially for senior-level professionals and their teams—those who shape and execute organization-wide communications for internal and external audiences. At the 2024 conference, industry leaders will share concrete strategies in overcoming the challenges communicators face today and attendees are encouraged to gather new insights and tactics through several small-group discussions.
Learn more at www.conference-board.org/events/corpcomms.
Ragan and PR Daily’s Social Media Conference
When: March 27–29, 2024
Where: Orlando, FL
Organized by PR industry linchpins Ragan and PR Daily, the annual Social Media Conference gathers PR and communications pros to share strategies and best practices for helping brands and organizations utilize social media to connect with their audience and achieve their goals. With more than 40 speakers and over 50 hours of event programming, the conference promises ample networking opportunities, skills workshops and engaging panel discussions on topics ranging from the contemporary social media landscape to crafting stories for various communications platforms.
Learn more at www.ragan.com/store/social-media-conference/.
Future of Information and Communication Conference (FICC)
When: April 4-5, 2024
Where: Berlin, Germany
The Future of Information and Communication Conference is a forum for researchers from the industry and academia to share knowledge and their latest research related to communication, data science, computing and Internet of Things.
Learn more at saiconference.com/FICC.
Ragan’s Employee Communications & Culture Conference
When: April 16-18, 2024
Where: Chicago, IL
Come away from this conference with practical and innovative ideas to implement in your workplace – whether in office, in home, or hybrid. Topics include: change communications, interdepartmental collaboration, content development, and employee engagement. These interactive sessions, inspirational keynotes, and networking opportunities are designed to help you build a better work environment.
Keynote speakers: Kelly Leonard, The Second City | Kate Barton, The Honest Company | Andy Choi, Verizon
Learn more at https://www.ragan.com/store/employee-communications-and-culture-conference/.
PR Daily’s Media Relations Conference
When: June 5-6, 2024
Where: Washington, D.C.
The 2024 conference is focused on helping communicators navigate the challenges of today’s media landscape. From interactive pitch sessions and deep dives on the latest AI tools to discussions about new strategies to counter misinformation, this event covers all the bases for media relations professionals.
Keynote speaker: Courtney D. Williams, The Obama Foundation
Learn more at https://www.prdaily.com/store/media-relations-conference/.
International Association of Business Communicators Conference 2024
When: June 23–26, 2024
Where: Chicago, IL
The goal of this conference is to connect with peers and learn from knowledgeable, experienced industry leaders through personal interactions and workshop sessions. This year’s theme, Communication Creates, is centered around the ability of communicators to forge tangible results and evoke change. Attendees can look forward to peer-to-peer interaction and content curated for professionals at all stages of their communications career.
Learn more at wc.iabc.com.
PRWeek Crisis Communications Summit
When: June 27, 2024
Where: London, England
The PRWeek Crisis Communications Summit will bring together brands and agencies to network, collaborate and understand how to build, streamline or enhance their crisis communications strategies. Gain insights from brands who successfully weathered crises – what worked well with their approach, what lessons did they learn, and most importantly, how you can leverage these takeaways within your team.
Learn more at crisis-comms.prweek.com.
Fierce Pharma PR and Communications Summit
When: July 8-9, 2024
Where: Jersey City, NJ
The Fierce Pharma PR and Comms Conference brings together life sciences communicators and PR professionals for two days of industry updates, networking and opportunities to discuss and learn best practices for effective communications in health care. This year’s focus will be “Define Your Voice, Establish Authenticity, Drive Transformation.”
Learn more at www.pharmaprsummit.com/.
Hubspot’s INBOUND 2024
When: September 18–20, 2024
Where: Boston, MA
Sales, marketing, and customer experience industry professionals convene at Hubspot’s INBOUND Conference every year to strategize and discuss the concept of “inbound marketing”--that is, marketing that aims to connect with customers through valuable content, curated experiences, and powerful communications. The conference attracts more than 70,000 attendees from around the world.
Learn more at www.inbound.com/.
PR Decoded
When: October 11-12, 2024
Where: Chicago, IL
PRWeek’s annual conference includes presentations, workshops, and roundtables focused on the top challenges and key issues in the field of communications today. Over the past several years, PR Decoded has increasingly focused on ways to “advance the purpose conversation at a critical point in its development, as well as focusing on other crucial issues in the PR industry.” Be sure to check the website for details on this much-anticipated event.
Keynote speakers: Dan Amos, Aflac | David Hogg, March For Our Lives
Learn more at www.prdecoded.com/.
PRSA ICON 2024
When: October 15–17, 2024
Where: Anaheim, CA
One of the biggest PR events of the year, PRSA ICON brings together public relations professionals from around the country for an event that blends networking and professional development. If you’re looking for a comprehensive event that touches every aspect of PR across every industry and career level, this is one to save the date for.
Learn more at www.prsa.org/conferences-and-awards/icon-2024.
Content Marketing World 2024
When: October 21-23, 2024
Where: San Diego, CA
This international communications conference brings together PR and marketing professionals from around the world to hear from all-star keynote speakers and come together to discuss the biggest issues facing the communications field today. In addition to keynote speakers, attendees can expect more than 100 hours of specialty sessions and industry-specific workshops. The agenda for 2024 is still to come, but check the website in June for updates.
Keynote speakers: Elizabeth Banks, Actress, Producer, Director | Andrew Davis, Author | Ann Handley, MarketingProfs | Avinash Kaushik, Croud | Beverly Jackson, Zillow | Cassie Kozyrkov, Google | Bennie Johnson, American Marketing Association | Robert Rose, Content Marketing Institute | Derek Thompson, The Atlantic
Learn more at www.contentmarketingworld.com/.
Ragan’s Future of Communications Conference
When: November 13-15, 2024
Where: Austin, TX
This event brings together communications professionals from every industry to share their insights and learn from each other’s successes. Topics include: storytelling, manager comms, employer branding, social media marketing, media relations and the complexities of AI, ESG, and DEI. Get ready for inspiring sessions and plenty of opportunities to connect with your peers.
Learn more at https://www.ragan.com/store/future-of-communications-conference.
World Public Relations Forum 2024
When: November 19-22, 2024
Where: Bali, Indonesia
The World Public Relations Forum (WPRF) is the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communications Management’s flagship conference. This multi-day event features global speakers, networking opportunities, and inspiring sessions that tie to the theme “Purposeful Influence for the Common Good.” The event is open to communications professionals from around the world, so check the website for details – from wherever you are.
Learn more at https://worldprforum.co.id/.
Looking for more ideas to inspire your year? Use the 2024 PR and Comms Content Planning Calendar to hone in on key dates, holidays, and industry events for your content strategy.
