Destination Search Marketing Expo, Seattle

Sitting at JFK Airport. My US Air flight is delayed an hour and half. Filled with excitement and anticipation to attend the most kick ass search marketing conference to date – Search Marketing Expo Advanced in Seattle. This is also the first time I will be blogging a search conference. That is if I ever catch my connection and make it to the event!

This is the inaugral conference lead by Danny Sullivan, formely of Search Engine Watch. This conference is advertised as being designed for the experienced search marketer – the first of its kind. The conversation and sessions are designed to cater to the “advanced” search marketer.

The speaker roster is incredible, with the brightest and best in the online advertising industry. Danny Sullivan, Rand Fishkin, Todd Malicoat, Michael Gray, Gord Hotchkiss, Brad Geddes, Aaron Wall, Cameron Olthuis, Mike Grehan, and many more. The cream of the crop. Nowhere on earth will there be a finer collection of search marketers in the same room sharing their words of wisdom.

The conference will have two sessions simultaneous, unlike other conferences where it is not uncommon for 5 great sessions being held at the same time. The topics of the sessions include:

• You&A with Matt Cutts – a Q&A session where the SEO”s will try to grill the famous Google engineer, in an effort to gather insight into the elusive and top secret Google algorithm, hoping to make sense out of complicated issues.
• Paid Search Roundtable – a roundable of representatives from all the major engines – Google, Yahoo, MSN and Ask.
• SEO, Meet SMM – focusing on driving traffic and garnering links via the social markeing sites – such as Digg, Del.icio.us, Reddit, etc.
  
• Paid Search & Tricky Issues – making sense of the complicated issues always popping up in the world of PPC.
• Personalized Search: Fear Or Not? -always a hot topic; how the engines are evolving as they move towards a more personalized search experience – and what that means for search marketers in the future.
  
• Inside The Auction Black Box – PPC experts share insight on the ever evolving state of paid search.
• Keynote Conversation with Satya Nadella – Satya is the new VP of Search at Microsoft AdCenter, the underdog in the search world.
  
• Debate: Is Bid Management Dead? – A question always on my mind! Are the engines starting to build in their own bid management software? What does Microsoft”s acquisition of Atlas – the most popular bid management software (and the one we use at Promediacorp) mean for the future of bid management?
  
• Penalty Box Summit – This is for the ultra agressive SEO”s that have to deal with being banned, and reincluded for breaking rules. None of that stuff going on at Promediacorp!
• Pump Up Your Paid Search! – Paid search tips and techniques from the world”s top experts.
  
• Better Ways – A refresher course focusing on keyword research, link building and the basics.
• Paid Search: The Giant Focus Group – search marketers give the engine representatives feedback on how to improve the systems, feature requests, and bugs to fix.
• Give It Up! –The world”s best SEO”s spilling the beans on their favorite secrets, tips and tricks. The engine representatives are banned from this session! This is one I will surely not miss.
• Beyond The Majors -Taking a look at second tier paid search opportunities. When does it make sense to use the Looksmarts, Kanoodles, and FindWhats? Exploring potential revenue and profit from these overlooked engines.
  

Well, I”m about to board my flight to Las Vegas enroute Seattle. Stay tuned for continued live coverage.