Unusually, I didn't hit any events last year. I'm sure I'll end up adding to this list, but here's a start anyway:
- WAA events, even just in-town ones when they happen I hear can be good. However, many of these events are largely by Analysts, for Analysts so far I think. The WAA is somewhat young, though increasingly doing more reach-out for education and advocacy.
- SES and Pubcon. I attended SES in '04 and '05 was even better. Especially if one ignores the tracks and instead just attends a couple days for particular sessions, hand-picked around one's specific client / project types, it's awesome. As for Pubcon, from what I've heard compared to SES it's much more wild, less corporate, and attractive for Webmasters, self-employed types and small marketing shops more. At Vegas last year, word is the bar/club events were packed and somewhat meat-marketer feeling per se. Affiliate Marketers and also a wider range of SEO types seem to hit this.
- Elite Retreat.... but the price hinges on absurd. Sux0rs beware; not for newcomers at all. More for people who've made some money for themselves on SEM/SEO who want to sit down with some name people to talk about how to maximize profits.
- WMA(?): I've always been curious about them and whatever outreach they do but know next to nothing about them still, so listing them here before I forget about them for another quarter. Comments, anyone?