What made you decide to attend brightonSEO San Diego?
I’ve attended 3 years. The first year I was gifted a free ticket. I attended, stayed with family, and bought my own plane ticket to reduce my costs and gained SO much from the sessions and talking to vendors. This was the year of the alligator rooftop parties and the camaraderie and humor was glorious. As an in-house SEO, I am pretty much on my own when it comes to all things search. The next two years I was able to get budget to come as BFF and stay in hotels with my flights paid for. I plan to attend next year as well!
What was your biggest takeaway or favorite part of the event?
I primarily attend to keep abreast of what’s next in SEO. The speaker sessions are a key way for me to get a feel for where to focus my time and attention to stay ahead of new opportunities and challenges on the horizon.
How has attending benefited you or your work?
Each year I come back with a new enthusiasm from all the networking and learning. This keeps me in a positive frame of mind as I face the challenges of being the only person looking at SEO in my organization. No one really knows what I do - they just see the results, which can be a lonely place, especially when I try to get team members on board with an important initiative that takes time and effort. My role is basically a black box to them. Hearing the speakers and getting insights from them helps me frame these efforts to stakeholders in the org to get others on board.
Have you seen any specific results or wins since attending?
As I consistently demonstrate value in the learning from speakers and talking with others facing similar challenges at BrightonSEO, I have substantially improved buy-in from stakeholders. I come back with actionable initiatives and putting them in place has made measurable difference in our online visibility. Each year I get more buy-in as I prove the worth of what I bring to the table and am able to then move the needle even further.
What would you say to someone thinking about coming to brightonSEO for the first time?
The conference is definitely worth the time and money investment. I highly recommend planning your itinerary ahead of time and talking with speakers after sessions with specific questions or ask for clarification. Take advantage of the after-hours networking opportunities and ask more questions. It’s a great place to get insights, validation, or deeper understanding no matter how long you’ve been in the biz.