What made you decide to attend brightonSEO?

I’ve been in SEO for over a decade and have attended just about every major conference at some point, but I’d never been to brightonSEO until this year. It’s one of those events that everyone in the industry talks about, so it felt like the right time to finally go and experience it firsthand.

What drew me most was the lineup and focus. The agenda really leaned AI, search evolution, and measurement, which is where so much of our industry energy is right now.

What was your biggest takeaway or favorite part of the event?

Honestly, the people. I ran into SEOs I hadn’t seen in years, folks I worked alongside early in my career who are now leading teams or running their own agencies. It reminded me how small (and passionate) our industry really is. Great minds think alike, and Brighton brought so many of them together under one roof.

Content-wise, I loved seeing how AI and LLM search visibility have become mainstream conversations. There were great sessions around Google’s AI Overviews, how local and e-commerce brands are adapting, and what visibility means when rankings aren’t the only measure anymore. It was energizing to see such alignment on where SEO is headed.

How has attending benefited you or your work?

Coming back from brightonSEO, I felt recharged and more confident about how we’re positioning our work at Symphonic Digital. We’ve already evolved our workflows and products to better align with what’s happening in AI-powered search and multi-channel discovery and the content discussed prompted some great conversations within my team on areas we can continue to evolve.

It also reinforced the importance of in-person collaboration. So much of what we do is digital, but having real conversations where we debate, challenge, and brainstorm with others, brings new energy and perspective that’s hard to replicate over Zoom.

Have you seen any specific results or wins since attending?

Yes - a few big ones. We’ve incorporated insights from brightonSEO directly into our client strategies, especially around AI visibility tracking and generative search optimization. Some of those refinements have already improved how we forecast growth and measure brand presence across emerging search platforms.

It also sparked a few new partnerships and collaborations, which is always a win after a conference.

What would you say to someone thinking about coming to brightonSEO for the first time?

Go. First of all, San Diego is beautiful and always a great place for a work trip! I'd also say, don’t just stick to the sessions; walk the expo, grab coffee with someone new, and reconnect with people as much as you can.

brightonSEO isn’t just about what’s next in search; it’s a reminder of why so many of us love this industry. You’ll leave inspired, full of ideas, and maybe even with a few old friends back in your contact list.