Upcoming SEO Conventions and Why They Work

Writing by Nick Stamoulis Tweet

This is a guest post by Amanda DiSilvestro of HigherVisibility.

With summer wrapping up, you will notice that many SEO companies and experts are finally ready to hold their annual conventions. SEO and online marketing conventions go on throughout the entire year, but the start of fall always seems to be a great way to kick off the work season for the majority of SEO companies and experts (because summer just doesn’t count, right?). While many other industry conventions might be seen as a “Plan B” type event, SEO conventions are usually quite different.
The reason that SEO conventions are so great is because SEO and other online marketing strategies are always changing. Google is constantly making tweaks to its algorithm; thus causing many sites to switch to recovery mode, and more and more social networking changes are occurring and changing the way that social marketing works. There are tons of new SEO tools and social tools coming out everyday, so it’s tough to keep up. SEO and social media conventions can help.

Top 4 SEO Conventions To Attend for the Latter Half of 2012

The conventions that are best for your company will depend upon your goals, but below are some of the most popular conventions that I feel are featuring great speakers for an affordable price:

1. Pubcon, October 15–18, Las Vegas NV, $59–$1399
This conference puts a heavier focus on technology and how companies can utilize some of the latest technology innovations as well as those to come. The event is one week and will feature speakers like Matt Cutts, head of the Google search team. The biggest draw to this event for many is something it offers called “interactive site reviews.” This is where you can actually get your own site reviewed by a panel of industry experts—talk about an easy way to improve!

2. Content Marketing World 2012, September 4–6, Columbus OH, $1295–$1690
This is considered the largest gathering of content marketing professionals in the world. Content marketing is becoming one of the most important aspects of SEO and promotion online, so it’s great that this conference focuses specifically on this one aspect of Internet marketing. According to the event, over 99% of their 2011 attendees said they would attend again.

3. Pivot, October 15–16, New York City NY, $1695
This event lasts two days and focuses on closing the gap between a brand and the social consumer. This event usually works best for those who have a basic understand of social media, but are looking to incorporate social media into already existing strategies.

4. Chicago SEO Workshop, March 6, 2013, Chicago IL, $499
So this one isn’t in 2012, but it’s pretty close. In my completely unbiased opinion, the Chicago SEO Workshop put on by Brick Marketing (the same people who bring you Search Engine Optimization Journal) is going to be one full of great information. The conference is different because it limits class sizes to ensure that you are really able to talk with experts and ask your questions as opposed to sitting in a lecture-type setting. The workshop is one full day and will provide a catered lunch.

One of things that stop some people from attending SEO events is the fact that SEO is always changing; therefore much of the material discussed will soon be outdated as well. However, even understanding information that may change is important for companies because these changes often happen gradually. For example, it’s important for a company to understand Google+ Local first in order to understand the benefits and process involved with merging Google+ Local and Google Places.

Are you going to attend any SEO and/or social media conventions this year? Have you attended any conventions in the past or heard anyone speak who you really enjoyed? Let us know in the comments below!

About the Author
Amanda DiSilvestro is a graduate of Illinois State University. Although she graduated with an English Education degree, she found herself working as a full-time blogger at HigherVisibility SEO, a leading SEO firm. Connect with HigherVisibility on Google+ and Twitter to learn more!