Brighton Beach isn’t just known as the land of seagulls and vibrant arcade games along its famous pier. Although in my most recent visit, I did get attacked by one of these birds, so for my short-term memory, it is.
But apart from this, Brighton is home to one of the biggest SEO conferences in the country, and this October, I had the pleasure of attending it. The annual BrightonSEO conference is the place to be if you want to boost your knowledge across the world of digital marketing and gain more insight into what we should be looking out for in the upcoming year.
If you weren’t able to grab yourself a ticket this year, do not fret! I have put together some key takeaways of what we should all be doing to improve our marketing strategies.
AI Isn’t Taking Our Jobs – it’s Optimising it!
At this year’s BrightonSEO conference, ChatGPT was the name on everyone’s lips. And it’s no surprise when this machine learning technology is already changing how we work. There has always been a bit of fear around AI, with a strong discussion about how it can be regulated or if it will completely consume our jobs.
Well, the speakers at this year’s BrightonSEO conference seem to see it as a time saver rather than a stealer. From optimising the way we undergo landing page audits, to assisting with content checks – there are plenty of weird and wonderful ways in which people are using AI as a virtual assistant to free up their time for larger, more intent-driven work.
By using this machine learning technology to automate longer tasks, there is less room for human error and more time to build more informed conclusions based on the data seen.
But we’re not the only ones looking to use AI to simplify tasks. Platforms such as Google, Meta and Microsoft are also implementing AI features – meaning the human eye is even more crucial for reducing spending waste across PPC where bots will encourage you to spend more. Understanding what exclusion data you need to input is just as necessary in ensuring your traffic remains intent-driven.
Outside of PPC, the new kid on the block to watch is AI SERP features. Marketers’ SEO strategies are updated all the time to meet browsers’ crawling systems and correctly feed it the information it requires to be top of the organic ranking in the new AI box. This new SERP feature is one to watch in the upcoming year and could be an important tool in helping your website rank in the future.
A Holistic Approach is the Boost Your Marketing Channels Need
Whether you’re working with an agency or have your in-house marketing team, with so many cooks in the kitchen, there is one thing which is difficult to implement. That is a holistic marketing approach. But what do we mean by this?
Well, many of the speakers at this year’s BrightonSEO conference seem to believe that certain marketing channels are not operating at their full potential as there is a singular channel mindset. For instance, say you’ve got one team on social media and a different team focusing on SEO, how often are these two communicating to align their strategies? Whilst they will have the same overall objectives for the company, there could be a missing key to success hidden by separation.
Everything in marketing is connected. PPC can help you reach areas where your SEO is missing, whilst social media can boost your backlinks and organic keywords on alternative platforms. Nowadays, even your YouTube videos have the potential to rank with a properly informed SEO strategy. This is just a small example of how interconnected the marketing channels can be and why it is important to be more holistic in your marketing approach.
Move Over Backlinks! Could Forums be the Next Up and Coming SEO Tool?
Something that took me by surprise at this year’s BrightonSEO conference was one of the talkers’ enthusiasm around using Reddit as a backlinking platform. Before the talk, if someone asked me my thoughts on Reddit, I would have said it’s a platform where people go to share memes, cute animal pictures, and get the answers to awkward questions they wouldn’t dare ask elsewhere.
However, for us marketers, Reddit can be a goldmine of niche topics with highly engaged communities. When done correctly, posting relevant and valuable content on targeted subreddits can provide backlinks that not only enhance your SEO but also drive qualified traffic to your site as users are often seeking detailed, credible answers to their queries within this space.
However, Reddit is a community-driven platform, so authenticity is key. Spammy or overly promotional behaviour will be flagged, and your posts could be removed or even get you banned. To avoid this, focus on building trust within the subreddit. Contribute meaningfully, respond to comments, and share your expertise before dropping a link. A well-placed link within the right subreddit can not only drive traffic but also improve your brand’s reputation as an authority in your field.
The potential of Reddit doesn’t stop at backlinks. With over 32.7 million users last year and around 21 million searches including the word “Reddit”, it’s clear that the platform plays a significant role in how people search for information.
By exploring subreddits related to your industry, you can uncover alternative keywords to target that you might not find through traditional tools. These niche terms can be valuable for improving your SEO strategy, particularly for long-tail searches. Additionally, Reddit often reflects trending topics and emerging questions, allowing you to stay ahead of the curve by addressing what your audience is actively searching for.
Being Niche is Cool, but Building a Brand is Best
One of the overarching themes at this year’s BrightonSEO conference was the undeniable importance of branding in today’s digital landscape. A strong, cohesive brand is what ties everything together – and it’s what search engines are increasingly prioritising.
Building a recognisable and trustworthy brand does more than just drive loyalty among your audience; it also helps improve your organic search presence. Google and other search engines use brand mentions, backlinks, and signals of brand authority as ranking factors, making branding a cornerstone of SEO success.
Users resonate better with established brands, and search engines know this. The better your brand’s perception, the higher your likelihood of attracting clicks, earning natural backlinks, and securing coveted spots at the top of the SERPs.
For marketers looking to reduce their reliance on paid channels and instead focus on sustainable, long-term growth, investing in branding is a game-changer. It creates a virtuous cycle: as your brand grows, so does your organic presence, which in turn drives more traffic and reduces overall marketing spend.
Final Thoughts
BrightonSEO 2024 delivered insights that resonate across every corner of digital marketing. The world of digital marketing is evolving rapidly, and staying ahead requires a blend of cutting-edge strategies and foundational principles. As we move forward into the next year, it’s clear that combining the power of AI, niche targeting, and a robust brand strategy is the key to standing out in an increasingly crowded digital space.
Whether you’re a marketer, business owner, or digital enthusiast, these lessons from BrightonSEO can help guide your efforts.
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