Begin by making a list of what you’re hoping to achieve from attending a conference. For example, if you’re looking to learn more about a particular aspect of content marketing, such as excellently-optimized SaaS landing pages, focus on the events that showcase expertise in that field.
Research the background of the various speakers. These days, you don’t need to hire a private detective—the world of marketing is full of expert stalkers who can find pretty much anyone via the likes of LinkedIn or Facebook.
Checking the size of an event is also an indicator of quality—look at the number of people who’ve signed up. This is an important factor when considering whether a particular conference is worth the time and money—you don’t want to turn up and find there’s no one there to network with.