Hero Conf San Diego 2026
Hero Conf San Diego 2026 is a two day conference dedicated to PPC and paid social advertising. The event brings together paid media professionals for practical sessions, industry insights and networking, with the 2026 edition taking place at the San Diego Convention Center alongside brightonSEO.
September 15 to 16, 2026
The conference takes place at the San Diego Convention Center and is designed for paid advertising professionals at all levels. Hero Conf is distinctive for its exclusive focus on PPC and paid social, with content covering major advertising platforms, real life examples, actionable strategies and opportunities to connect with other professionals.
PPC and Paid Social Strategies
Hero Conf focuses on helping paid advertising professionals improve their campaigns through relevant and actionable content. Sessions address strategies for scaling campaigns, optimizing performance, testing new channels and responding to changes in advertising platforms.
Advertising Platforms and Innovation
The conference explores developments across Google Ads, Microsoft Advertising, Meta, LinkedIn, X, TikTok, Amazon Advertising and Apple Ads. Attendees can learn about platform updates, campaign strategies and new opportunities across paid media.
Practical Learning and Case Studies
The program emphasizes actionable ideas and real life examples that attendees can apply in their roles. Content is designed for digital marketers at different levels, with a focus on practical strategies rather than general theory.
Networking and Attendee Experience
Hero Conf provides several networking formats, from casual and unscripted interactions to more organized activities. The event also includes breakout sessions, keynote quality talks and opportunities to connect with other PPC professionals.
Co Located with brightonSEO
Hero Conf is co located with brightonSEO in San Diego. Attendees can access both events, giving paid media professionals additional opportunities to explore search marketing content and connect with the wider digital marketing community.
Speakers Include:
- AJ Wilcox, Host of the LinkedIn Ads Show, Founder, B2Linked
- Aashna Makin, Founder, SuperAds
- Akvile DeFazio, President, AKvertise
- Amanda Farley (Friedt), CMO, Aimclear
- Andrew Gottlieb, CEO, No Typical Moments
- Anthony McDaniel, Sr. Paid Media Specialist, Divergent Digital
- Ayat Shukairy, Co-founder, Invesp
- Ben Kahan, Head of Programmatic, Brainlabs
- Ben Riggle, Managing Director, North America, Channable
- Ben Vigneron, VP of Analytics & Measurement, Blackbird PPC
- Bianca Bergshoeff, Cofounder, The Paid Social Club
- Breanne Bartlett, Associate Director of Paid Search, Go Fish Digital
- Brett Fish, Founder, TagHero
- Brittany Sager, Associate Director of Paid Media, Seer Interactive
- Brooke Osmundson, Director of Growth Marketing, Smith Micro Software
- Chester Scott, Chief Strategy Officer, Lunio
- Chris Frank, Co-Founder, Miracle Max Marketing
- Christiana Barre, Owner, Christy Barre Media
- Cory Henke, Founder, Variable Media
- Cristiano Winckler, Director of Digital Operations, Somebody Digital
- Dane Golden, YouTube Ads Strategist, VidAction
- Danny Lima, Sr. Paid Media Manager, Kanbar Digital
- David Green, Founder, Devslove Digital
- Dii Pooler, Founder, Pooler Digital
- Doug Schatz, VP of Partnerships, Ignite Visibility
- Grace Weselak, Paid Social Director, PMG
- Greg McCoy, VP of Paid Advertising, Social Kapture
- Harith Bashir, Paid Media Lead, Rev.com
- Jack Hepp, Owner, Industrious Marketing
- Jack Sherratt, Founder, Unbound Marketing
- Jeremy Hull, Chief Solutions Officer, Brainlabs Digital
- Joe Martinez, Co-Founder, Paid Media Pros
- John M. Williams, Director of Customer Acquisition, Silver Mirror
- Jon Kagan, Director, Search & Digital Media Strategy, Amsive
- Joshua (Josh) Slodki, President, Buoy Digital Group
- Keegan Brown, Founder & CEO, ATRA
- Kenton Snyder, Product Manager, Intentwise
- Kirk Williams, Owner & Founder, ZATO PPC Marketing
- Lars Maat, Founder, The Paid Social Club
- Leo Polanowski, CEO, Perform Media
- Liam Wade, Chief Strategy Officer, Impression
- Lisa Raehsler, Founder and Principal Strategist, Big Click Co
- Liz Yoselowitz, Global CMO, Brainlabs
- Matt Carter, Sr. Director of Marketing, Nápreva
- Michael Cooney, Co-Founder / CMO, WhatConverts
- Michael Stratta, CEO, Arcalea
- Michael Wisby, CEO, Founder, Two Trees
- Michelle Morgan, Co-Founder, Paid Media Pros
- Michelle Wiltz, Managing Director, Paid Social, Brainlabs
- Monica Valdez, Owner, Digital Marketing Consultant, Green Blue Gray
- Nate Burke, Founder and CEO, Diginius
- Navah Hopkins, Product Liaison, Microsoft
- Patrick Ortenzio, Director, Professional Services, Stackline
- Roger Cooney, Co-Founder, Paid Search Specialist, MoonSauce Agency
- Sam Tomlinson, CEO, Warschawski
- Sean Stone, CEO, Spillover Commerce
- Shankar Vivek, Google, Principle Measurement Lead
- Sophie Logan, Community & Editorial Manager, Rough Agenda
- Susan Yen, Paid Media Lead | Growth Marketing Advisor, SearchLab Digital
Hero Conf San Diego 2026 is designed for PPC and paid social professionals who want practical strategies, platform insights and connections with other paid advertising specialists. Its focused program provides a dedicated setting for marketers looking to improve campaign performance and keep up with developments across major advertising platforms.