seolounge
On the show, we regularly discuss the value of attending search conferences in terms of education and networking opportunities, and we strongly encourage SEO beginners to attend at least one. Unfortunately, these conferences are usually pretty expensive to attend. Between airfare, hotel, food (and bar), cabs to and fro, etc. it gets spendy fast.
Thankfully, the guys at IM Broadcast have created a mini-conference designed to maximize the education and networking while minimizing the cash out of your wallet. The concept is simple: shorter conference, single room, limited attendance, intensive education…. for a *reasonable* price. 
Their first conference using this format (Scary SEO) was a great success. I was tremendously impressed with the quality of both the sessions and the networking. (The cookie breaks in the afternoon were a personal favorite, too!)
Spring Break hopes to expand on the success of Scary SEO by expanding the formay from two to three days to accommodate more topics and more great speakers, but keeping the attendee numbers and admission price low.
So here’s the skinny:
IM Spring Break is 3 days of intensive search education featuring world class speakers (who can also be found speaking at the “big-big” conferences), very limited attendance (read: this WILL sell out quickly), and lots of time in between presentations for work group discussions and opportunities to get real expert help with your specific issues.
On top of all this, the price of admission is only $500 and it’s in Deerfield Beach Florida (near Ft. Lauderdale and hence the “Spring Break” part) AND the hotel is only $159 a night.
To put it in perspective, you’re getting up close and personal access to the biggest names in the search world, plus entertainment, plus Florida DURING spring break, plus a nice hotel room, plus a great educational opportunity… for less than the cost of JUST the admission to one of the big conferences.
In a nutshell:
If money is tight and you can only choose one conference to attend this year…. attend IM Spring Break. It’s a great value.
The pup and mrs.pup will be attending. You didn’t add that the great CSHEL will be speaking. AWESOME.
Pit there isn’t more of these in the UK. We seem so far behind when it comes to arranging conferences that it has dawned on me that there must be an opportunity for someone to exploit the UK. I am attending SES in London in February but to my kknowledge, that is the only one unless anyone knows of anymore.
The UK needs you…
The price of the conference and the price of the rooms have both come down since you wrote this. It’s even more affordable. I assume that the economic climate made some people think twice about going to a conference right now. I’m going and excited about it!
Looks like I missed out on this trip. Sounds like an affordable alternative to SES Chicago and SXSW. Let me know if you guys ever do anything that affordable here in Chicago.