5 tips for in-house SEOs at BrightonSEO

BrightonSEO is a bit of a unicorn in the conference world. Starting out with humble beginnings in a pub in Brighton, it’s established itself as one of the largest SEO conferences in Europe.

Unlike its contemporaries, BrightonSEO allows you to enjoy talks from leading industry minds without the need to re-mortgage the office to cover the ticket price.

For digital marketing agencies like ourselves, the benefits of attending this type of conference are two-fold; our teams get to learn new tricks, trends and topics, and our clients do too; both directly through the information we pass on, but also through the benefit of the work we do with this new knowledge.

But it’s not just us ‘agency types’ that descend on Brighton twice a year, an increasing number of in house SEOs, ready to soak up the knowledge and transfer it straight into their client are also frequenting BrightonSEO, in search of the next big tip.

So, whether you’re attending for the first time, or you are a returning visitor looking to maximise your trip, we’re here to share our wisdom to ensure you get the most of your day.

1. Think about what your SEO strategy might need in 6 months

It can be easy to pick out the topics you know about, but some of the most rewarding talks are those that discuss something completely new! Particularly if you’re looking far enough ahead into your strategy’s future.

One of our biggest tips for in-house SEOs, is to take some time to think about where you might be in 6 months, and see if there’s a talk that can make that next step easier, with new knowledge and insight already in your arsenal.

2. Head up, eyes forward, all quiet please

Every talk at the conference is recorded, or at least have their slides made available after the event. It can be easy to try to note down everything you read/hear/see but then you end up missing the important point, writing down a link or note to self that could’ve waited.

We recommend jotting down minimal notes, engaging with the speakers, asking questions and enjoying diving in and learning something new.

You can always re-watch or read slides later and Twitter is a great way to reach out to speakers during and after the conference.

3. Make any notes count

Make sure you’re not decoding the enigma Monday morning by ensuring any notes you do take are actionable and memorable.

At atom42 we have a template to make it easier to jot down the topic, speaker, key insights and actions off the back of these. This way the notes you take end up with a specific recommendation and you’re sure to have a great list of actions by the end of the day.

Avoid this on a Monday.

4. Navigate the stalls and make use of free trials

In between talks, you’ll have plenty of time to wander around the concourse where a plethora of suppliers and sponsors will tempt you with free lollipops, charger cables, notepads and beer.

It can be quite overwhelming to walk around, especially if you’re not 100% sure what a supplier even does, but it’s worth taking the time to talk to suppliers. Not only will you gain an understanding of how they might be able to help make your life easier, most importantly of all, it’s likely they’ll offer you a free trial, giving you a win-win situation to improve metrics whilst trying out tools for free!

5. Remember the after party

Whilst BrightonSEO talks are the main reason you’re being sent there, it’d be a shame to go all that way and not at least stay for one drink… Luckily for you, there’s the official BrightonSEO Pier Party to help you process everything you’ve learnt with fish and chips, cocktails and music well into the night.

Most of all, have fun, learn something new, meet new people who ply your trade and leave richer in knowledge and contacts than when you arrived. All that’s left is to organise your actions come Monday, and get the date in the calendar for the next ticket release.