Having recently relocated from Maine, I’m continually wowed by the gorgeous California weather, friendly people, and especially the Mexican food! I wasn’t expecting another dose of west coast charm when I signed up for Distilled’s SEO expert meetup this past Tuesday, but I’m learning that in San Diego, it’s not only about substance, but also style. I arrived at the University of San Diego’s Mother Rosalie Hill Hall to shrimp tacos, open bar, dramatic view of the city, and of course a chatty crowd of web marketing masters.
The panel discussion that followed was informal, but in our industry, sometimes the best new ideas are sparked during casual meetings of the minds. In this case, it was four especially experienced and talented minds, John Clark of Razorfish, Jordan Kasteler of Red Door Interactive, Adria Saracino of Distilled, and Chris Hart of Linkdex, who shared their thoughts on the evolution of SEO tactics in the last few years, insights on the future of our finicky business, and the ever-paramount importance of quality content.
This wasn’t an instructional setting, nor a granular “how-to” forum where I was compiling a checklist of new tools and strategies to proudly bring back to the office the next morning, along with an arsenal of slide decks (that’s why we attend SearchLove). It was, however, a valuable glimpse at the inner workings of some of the most forward thinking and successful companies in web marketing.
I’ll share the few takeaway points I gathered, but I recommend attending a meetup yourself, if not for the SEO knowledge, at least to meet other web marketers, and of course, the happy hour!
Points to Ponder
- Helping clients achieve a reputation for superior customer service is integral to any marketing initiative. Follow up emails after a purchase, responding to customer concerns via social media, and being readily available to troubleshoot could possibly even more integral than having the “best” product.
- Email marketing is an untapped goldmine for clients. The panelists all admitted that it’s usually lower priority for SEOs developing their skill sets, but it is an increasingly important piece of any campaign, and offers huge ROI potential.
- Facebook Facebook Facebook. It came up so many times in discussion—especially retargeting ads. When working on client ads, it is crucial to ensure that the landing pages they point to is hyper-relevant, even personalized, based on previous search habits.
What do you consider the most important aspect of the future of SEO? Is content still king? Weigh in with your own expertise in the comments below!
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