Another year in the Search Marketing world, another WebmasterWorld Pubcon in Las Vegas. Pubcon was one of the first search marketing conferences I attended and where I first met a number of highly talented SEOs in person.
TopRank’s Online Marketing Blog has been liveblogging the Pubcon conference since 2005 and includes a mix of content ranging from interviews with Pubcon owner Brett Tabke to Google’s Adam Lasnik. Also videos (Neil Patel giving interesting tips), photos (see the 2006 Yahoo Party in the Playboy Suite and many, many posts from the sessions offering strategy and tactics of the day.
What I like about Pubcon is that the conference organizers don’t try to be the same every year. For example, they mix up the keynote speakers from a variety of backgrounds including people from outside the search marketing industry (Author Malcolm Gladwell, Craig Newmark of Craigslist and this year Tony Hsieh from Zappos).
There’s a longstanding community behind the Pubcon conference at WebmasterWorld which slants towards people that focus on search marketing as a client side marketer, SEM consultant or owner/operator of web based businesses. That said, the Pubcon conference content and delegates come from a variety of industries and backgrounds ranging from soloprenuers to big advertising/PR/interactive agencies to brand marketers to domainers to affiliate marketers.
There are many, many ways to get significantly more value from attending conferences than what is paid for, just read these tips: “Conference Liveblogging Tips” and “Increase ROI from Attending Conferences“. The single most important thing you can do to get more out of a conference is to plan which sessions you’ll attend beforehand. With little time between sessions, you can really miss out on incredible information if you don’t know where you’re going next. Pubcon has an Itinerary Builder for just this purpose.
Recently I was asked by a Digital Strategy guy at one of the biggest PR agencies in the U.S. which conferences he should attend besides SXSW and one of the first recommendations I made was Pubcon. Why? Because the content mix at Pubcon has always involved quality information about search marketing (SEO and PPC), Affiliate Marketing, Webmastering and New Trends, whatever they may be. It’s a great mix of the practical/tactical with what to expect from the next 6 months to a year.
I started speaking at Pubcon on a session focused on SEO for Public Relations several years ago and over time was invited to speak on up to 4 sessions at each conference including a SEO Bloggers panel that has run 4 years in a row. This year I will be speaking on 3 panels and TopRank’s Adam Singer will be presenting on a panel about Social Media Marketing and PR. Here’s the info on those sessions. We’d love to see you there:
Tuesday, November 10th: 2:55-4:10pm
Experts on PR & Twitter
Can Public Relations 2.0 be summarized in 140 characters or less? Don’t let the character count lull you into complacency. To break through, today’s PR efforts must be powerful, targeted and social. This panel of social media and PR professionals will take you on a journey from mid-level public relations to advanced online PR and social promotions in no time.
Moderator: Krista Neher
Panel: Adam Singer, Account Manager, TopRank® Online Marketing, Sean Jackson, CEO/Creator, Ecordia, Lisa Buyer, President/CEO, The Buyer Group, Ben Fisher, President, TechPad Agency.
Wednesday, November 11th: 10:15-11:30am
How Do Social Media & Search Intersect?
With social media seeming to fill the promotional role previously occupied by search marketing, it only makes sense that social media prevents the need for search, right? Don’t fall into this trap. Join this panel of social media and search experts as they detail how these two tactics both intersect and complement each other in supporting your overall marketing objectives.
Moderator: Vanessa Fox
Panel: Lee Odden, CEO, TopRank® Online Marketing, Tony Adam, SEO Manager, Yahoo, David Wallace, CEO, SearchRank, Bill Hartzer, Search Engine Optimization Manager, Vizion Interactive.
Thursday, November 12th: 1:30-2:45pm
How SMBs Can Use PR Campaigns to Grow Traffic
Online public relations makes it possible for today’s small businesses to grow into tomorrow’s major online marketing players. Learn how small businesses can master online PR to drive traffic and achieve business objectives from Odden and his panel.
Moderator: Alex Bennert
Speakers: Lee Odden, CEO, TopRank® Online Marketing, Jiyan Wei, Product Manager, Vocus, Sean Jackson, CEO/Creator, Ecordia
Thursday, November 12th: 2:55-4:10pm
Search Bloggers: What’s Hot & Trending?
Can bloggers maintain their influence with the emergence of newer forms of social media? With the right strategies, ‘yes.’ Discover what these blogging strategies are, and understand how to integrate them into your efforts, from Odden and his panel.
Moderator: Greg Hartnett
Speakers: Lee Odden, CEO, TopRank® Online Marketing. Michael McDonald, Managing Editor, iEntry Inc.. Barry Schwartz, President, RustyBrick, Inc.. Loren Baker, Editor, Search Engine Journal.
After all those conference sessions there are, of course, plenty of networking opportunities both during the day and afterwards. It’s Las Vegas after all.
PubCon 2009: Social Media, Search, Affiliates
Las Vegas, NV
November 10-13, 2009
