FEATURE: Attend SMX West for Inspiration, Education and Network Building
by Virginia Nussey, February 27, 2014
“Bruce Clay led the way on quality SEO based on sound intelligence and long-lasting value way before it was fashionable to do so.” —David Amerland, author of Google Semantic Search It's part of our company mission to be a leader in SEO and search marketing education. Of course it's not pure altruism; an educated industry and business community is in our best interests as a technical, white hat SEO service provider. As proponents of SEO education we've supported the SMX conference series since its beginning — one of the very first event sponsors, Bruce will tell you. The SMX conference series is among the top opportunities for professional development through education and networking for those looking to invest in increased brand visibility online. The first U.S. SMX conference of 2014 takes place in less than two weeks in San Jose, Calif. And there are so many reasons for you — business owner, marketing manager, in-house, agency or consultant marketer — to be there. Get Up to Speed in a New/Adjacent Online Marketing FieldYou're a big picture person. You want to know enough about all the moving parts so you can see how the gears turn off each other. You need to speak intelligently to specialists as you direct your business or team toward achievement of overall goals. Or, you're a master in your marketing discipline and you've decided it's time to deepen your knowledge of related fields. You know that doing so will strengthen your position as an expert, make your strategies more effective, and empower you to collaborate. At SMX you can get a foundation in SEO, SEM, social media marketing or big picture digital marketing in a day from a workshop or boot camp track:
The Digital Marketing Summit track is debuting this conference and features an experimental new format: TED-style solo presentations on forward-looking themes and trends from a top expert on the subject. As part of our liveblogged conference coverage, look for reports from Boot Camp and the new Digital Marketing Summit on the blog. If you attend all the sessions of a single SMX Boot Camp track, you'll have a foundational understanding of that topic that you can use immediately and build off. And as proof of your accomplishment, you'll have a certificate of completion to show for it. See the Future of Google in Headlining Keynote: SVP of Search Amit SinghalYou may have also seen our feature profile of Amit Singhal, the headlining keynote speaker, the man in charge of Google's search engine ranking algorithms since 2000. At SXSW last year Singhal was interviewed by Guy Kawasaki, super-star marketer of the digital age and social media personality. In just the first 10 minutes of that hour-long discussion, Singhal shared:
Imagine what you'll get from an hour-long prodding by Danny Sullivan, Search Engine Land editor-in-chief. You can find more strategy-shaping takeaways from Singhal and familiarize yourself with his role and work before Sullivan hits the Google Search SVP with a fresh set of questions during the SMX keynote conversation on March 11. Grow Your Professional NetworkDoes this ring a bell? You read hundreds of marketing related blog posts and articles a week, but nothing comes close to the thought-solidifying effect of a conversation with a comparably impassioned colleague. In Should You Attend a Search Marketing Conference in 2014? BCI's Chelsea Adams expresses the cross we bear as search nerds, and the fix that fills this need in office get-togethers, various meetups and events like SMX:
And so, the value of SMX networking opportunities, conversations and community can't be overstated. At this show, there are a handful of happenings that deserve special highlighting:
SMX West is the first major search and social marketing event of 2014. It's a unique opportunity for professional development through education and networking and for everyone looking to invest in increased brand visibility online this year. We're proud to bring the conference home to those not in attendance with liveblog coverage. But we truly do hope to see you there. If you haven't registered yet, BRUCECLAYSMXW14 is a code that discounts the cost of any pass and workshop. |
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