Brighton: it’s not just known for its pier, pebbles and pavilion!
Twice a year digital marketers worldwide make the pilgrimage to the seaside resort for BrightonSEO, and this year some intrepid Saliencers got in on the action. This is what we learnt…
Our Favourite SEO Talk: Advanced Site Architecture by Dominic Woodman
“Christoph Cemper kicked off BrightonSEO in an orange suit that was just as snappy as his slides on link-based ranking factors. He made some excellent points, suggesting that auditing all your link profile – not just those Link Research Tools high priority links – is worth your time. Using a clever dentist metaphor, he explained how you would never just look at one or two teeth in a dental check-up; you’d look at the whole set if you wanted to get a better understanding of your situation.
“The standout presentation for me was during the post-lunch Technical SEO seminar. Here, Distilled’s Dom Woodman engaged the audience with his walkthrough on site expansion through hierarchy and keyword research. His talk was brought to life with real-world examples and case studies, along with perfectly-timed pictures of TV show House for comedic effect.
“As Brighton SEO was winding down, Chris Green’s chat on indexation and crawlability offered a variety of tips, tricks and recommendations. From log file analysis to avoiding spider traps, some valuable nuggets of information were uncovered in this final talk.” – Dave, SEO Campaign Manager
Our Favourite Data Talk: Using Natural Language APIs in SEO by Stephan Solomondis
“There’s so much for us to think about and act upon in the coming months.
“Up first for me was the ‘APIs in Search’ seminar, where Yiğit Konur kicked things off with his session on using APIs to create better dashboards. Kostas Voudouris was next, sharing his insight on how best to use Google Search Console data for keyword optimisation.
“However, the highlight of the day was Stephan Solomondis’ talk: Using Natural Language APIs in SEO. As a newbie to coding and the concept of machine learning, Stephan’s insight was an inspiring and realistic approach to getting started with the subject.
“Another of my favourite talks was Tim Stewart’s Convert with Intelligent Analytics. Tim shared how to get the best out of Google Analytics, particularly when it comes to goal tracking and calculated metrics. The case studies that Tim delivered, ranging from his experiences in e-commerce to events, ensured that the standing room only, data-loving crowd at the Expo Stage were not just able to pick up useful tips but also how to apply them best in several different scenarios.” – Martyn, Data Executive
Our Favourite Outreach Talk: Righteous Tips For Building Totally Excellent Local Links by Greg Gifford
“Although I’d heard good things about BrightonSEO, I didn’t expect to come away with so much new knowledge. My day included talks on online PR, reputation, outreach and link-building, all run by both in-house and agency PRs.
“My favourite seminar from the morning sessions was led by Vouchercloud’s Ben Harrow. He shared some of the site’s most-linked campaigns including the Freddo Index, a study highlighting the gradually increasing price of the humble chocolate bar. Are we going to have to remortgage our homes to afford one soon?!
“I didn’t expect the afternoon’s link-building talk to be my highlight, but Greg Gifford of DealerOn somehow made the world of local SEO fun. If there was a competition for how many eighties-era movies it’s possible to reference in one session, he would have won.”
“A special mention goes to Hana Bednarova from Tecmark, who won everyone over in the outreach seminar by giving us the gift of an Excel document sharing which top-tier outlets provide links in their coverage.” – Helen, Outreach and PR Executive
Our Favourite Content Talk: Speak Easy – The Rise Of Voice Search by Saeley Jnr Johnson
“I think most people who work in marketing have a mild obsession with whatever comes next and I’m no exception. I turned up hoping voice search would go beyond 2018 prediction buzzwords, with a slight worry that voice search for the many means asking Siri for the meaning of life and how much a woodchuck could chuck. Thankfully, I left enthused with how big this is going to be in the coming months and its infinite possibilities for our clients.
“Also, ‘we teamed up with neuroscientists’ is one of my favourite hooks. Saeley had me there ?. You can see some of the research here, but the experience of the talk was a stand-out for me.” – Brett, Head of Content
To speak with any of our BrightonSEO attendees in more detail about what they learnt, get in touch.