Key Takeaways from BrightonSEO and Hero Conference: What I Learned in San Diego
As the Head of Strategy at Adster Creative, I need to stay updated with what’s happening in the Digital Marketing world and create strategies that are truly helpful for our clients.
That’s why I was sent by our agency to attend the BrightonSEO and Hero Conference in San Diego.
San Diego, with its perfect weather, was the ideal place for a conference. There was so much to see during breaks—whether it was exploring the vibrant downtown or enjoying the lively nightlife.
The best part? Everything was within walking distance, from conference venues to amazing restaurants, making it the perfect setting for both learning and unwinding after a long day.
What are BrightonSEO and Hero Conference?
This is exactly why I went to San Diego—to attend two of the biggest digital marketing conferences: BrightonSEO San Diego 2024 and Hero Conference San Diego 2024. These events are packed with knowledge that’s not only important for agencies but also for our clients. Both conferences take place in November, and this year’s event was held from November 19-20, 2024 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt.
BrightonSEO focuses on search marketing and SEO strategies, while Hero Conference dives into PPC and paid social advertising. These conferences bring together top experts to share their insights, making it a must-attend event for any agency that wants to stay ahead of trends and deliver the best results for their clients. It’s all packed into a two-day conference, making it easy for busy professionals to absorb as much valuable content as possible in a short time.
A Memorable Experience: BrightonSEO Boardwalk Bash
Before diving into the key takeaways, I have to mention one of the highlights of my trip: the BrightonSEO Boardwalk Bash. This was a fringe event organized by The SEO Community and was held at Ballast Point in Little Italy, San Diego. The event took over and paid for the entire venue, ensuring it was a private, exclusive experience for all attendees.
It was the perfect opportunity to unwind and network with other SEO professionals in a relaxed atmosphere. The event offered free food and drinks, and while I didn’t get a chance to meet SEO superstars like Joy Hawkins from Sterling Sky, Greg Gifford, and Noah Learner, I did get to see them in person—something I’d only ever experienced online.
I also had the chance to meet many other fantastic people in the SEO and digital marketing world, exchanging ideas and experiences. On top of that, Little Italy was stunning at night, and with San Diego’s perfect weather, it made for a memorable evening. It was the ideal place to connect, share ideas, and enjoy the lively San Diego vibe.
Topics that Stood Out to Me
I wanted to share some of the key topics that really stood out to me during the conferences. These weren’t just the typical takeaways, but insights that I believe will have a lasting impact on how we approach digital marketing, both for our agency and our clients.
1. Making Reporting Easier to Digest for Clients
One of the standout sessions I attended was Dana DiTomaso’s talk on Looker Studio. While the focus of the talk was on Looker Studio itself, the biggest takeaway for me was the importance of making reporting simple and easy to understand for clients.
We often work with complex data, and it’s easy to overwhelm our clients with too much information. Sometimes, we try to give them all the data, thinking that the more we provide, the better it is. But we never stop to ask if they truly understand what it all means.
The key is to simplify it, turning raw data into easily digestible insights. By presenting numbers in percentages and avoiding too many decimal points, we can help clients understand what’s going on without feeling overwhelmed, making the decision-making process smoother and faster.
Not another table: level up your looker studio dashboards – Slides
2. AI in SEO and the Shift Toward Brand Marketing
During my roundtable discussions with other Heads of SEOs, the topic of AI came up often, and it sparked some interesting conversations. The big question in our industry right now is how much we should embrace AI in our marketing strategies. While there’s excitement about its potential, many agencies are still in the early stages of AI adoption. Most of us are experimenting and dabbling with AI, but we’re cautious about fully integrating it into our strategies—especially when it comes to the local business sector, where there’s still some resistance and a lack of understanding about how AI can work for them.
Will Reynolds’ keynote really connected with this theme. He challenged the SEO community to stop focusing so much on AI as a disruptor and instead asked us to refocus on something that’s often overlooked: the user. He emphasized that SEO should be centered around user intent and experience, not just chasing KPIs. AI can be helpful, but it’s not the answer to everything. What matters most is creating content that genuinely helps users solve their problems. By focusing on user needs, we can ensure that the work we do actually benefits the people we’re trying to reach.
This brings us to another critical aspect of digital marketing—brand marketing. Many of us get caught up in the race to optimize for keywords, but we should be thinking about the bigger picture. Investing in brand marketing helps us build a strong, trustworthy presence. Instead of just focusing on ranking for specific terms, brand marketing fosters lasting connections with our audience.
But here’s the key insight: it’s not just about marketing your company. It’s about marketing yourself. People connect with individuals far more than with faceless brands. When you build your personal brand, you not only connect better with your audience but also elevate the trust and credibility they have in your business. Personal branding can be much more effective in the long run than solely relying on company-centric marketing.
3. Maximizing the Potential of PMAX Campaigns
A session I attended with Duane Brown and Kirk William focused on optimizing PMAX campaigns. PMAX works best when you have high data volume, high spending, or multiple products in play. The strategy here is to break your campaigns down into smaller, more focused groups instead of lumping everything into one massive campaign.
This allows you to refine your approach and tailor your messaging to specific products or topics. Another important tip is setting clear conversion goals. Without those, it’s hard to track success and understand whether the campaigns are moving in the right direction.
Refreshing your ad content regularly is key. The digital landscape moves quickly, and refreshing your assets ensures they stay relevant. I also learned that if something isn’t working, don’t be afraid to clean up low-performing assets. Focus on what’s driving results, and don’t get bogged down by what isn’t. Continuous optimization is the key to making PMAX campaigns work to their full potential.
4. Personal Development and Time Management for Success
One of the most impactful sessions I attended was a personal development talk by Jarvin Leverson. It wasn’t directly related to digital marketing, but it had a profound effect on my approach to work and life. Jarvin shared his “winning formula,” which essentially revolves around starting your day with purpose and focus.
It’s about waking up early, before the distractions of the day take over, and using that quiet time to set clear goals. By outlining what you want to achieve and structuring your day around those goals, you stay on track and move towards progress, rather than just reacting to whatever comes up.
I’ve been applying this to my own routine since the conference, and I’ve found that it has helped me stay much more focused and productive. It’s a simple yet powerful way to take control of your day and make the most out of both your personal and professional life.
Why Adster Creative Invests in These Conferences
At Adster Creative, we believe in always staying ahead of the curve in digital marketing. That’s why we invest in conferences like BrightonSEO and Hero Conference. These events provide us with cutting-edge insights, fresh ideas, and hands-on strategies that help us continuously improve our approach and deliver better results for our clients. Attending these conferences allows us to not only gain valuable knowledge but also to build connections with industry leaders and peers. These relationships, paired with the knowledge we bring back, are what help us stay on top of trends and refine the strategies we offer our clients.
By attending BrightonSEO and Hero Conference, we can ensure that we’re not only keeping up with the ever-changing digital marketing landscape but also pushing the boundaries of what we can do for our clients. These conferences allow us to offer innovative solutions, adopt new technologies, and implement the latest best practices to ensure our clients are always a step ahead of the competition. The value we get from these events is immeasurable, and we’re proud to bring what we learn back to Adster Creative to better serve our clients.