What made you decide to attend brightonSEO this time?

The talk line-up was brilliant this year. There was a real mix of disciplines and perspectives, which is exactly what I look for in an industry event. It’s one of the few conferences that I know I’ll come away with ideas and practical actions I can apply straight away in my day-to-day work.

Was there a talk, speaker, or moment that stood out?

Yordan Dimitrov’s talk ("Forget SEO vs AI. Build a brand people trust or get left behind") really stood out to me. His delivery was full of energy, and his message was simple but effective. Rather than getting caught up in the SEO vs AI debate, he brought the focus back to building a strong, trustworthy brand, which is something that underpins so much of the work many of us do already.

Have you taken anything from brightonSEO back into your work yet?

One takeaway I brought straight back into my work is the importance of grounding all AI conversations in brand. It’s easy to get swept up in debates about algorithms or tools, but the common thread across the talks was clear - AI only amplifies what already exists. If your brand narrative, authority and footprint aren’t strong, AI won’t magically fix it. That reminder has helped guide several strategic conversations since.

Has attending brightonSEO led to any wins or positive changes?

It’s reinforced a lot of the thinking we already apply in our strategies, particularly around how search is shifting and the growing importance of AI-led visibility. Hearing different speakers approach these themes from new angles has been valuable. It’s given me fresh ways to articulate trends we’re already responding to and has sparked a few new ideas to explore with the wider team.

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

• Plan ahead as much as possible! I always read through the speaker line-up in advance and map out my schedule for each day, so I don’t miss the talks I’m most interested in.
• Bring a power bank! I guarantee you’ll take far more pictures of slides (and the sea) than you ever would have expected.
• Don’t skip the networking events before and after the conference! They aren’t all officially part of brightonSEO, but they add a whole extra layer to the experience and are such a great way to meet new people in the industry.

Victoria is Marketing Manager at Reboot Online Marketing.