Top 10 Takeaways from the Online PR Show, Brighton SEO

Brighton SEO, the world’s largest search marketing conference returned to the Brighton Centre last week (19th – 21st April 2023). Thousands of marketers attended to watch leaders in search, content, and influencer marketing take to the stage.

The conference kicked off on Wednesday 19th April with the PR fringe – a jam-packed day where industry professionals share their digital PR knowledge and tips & tricks!

The main conference returned on Thursday and Friday – with a range of interesting talks including popular topics such as equality in the workplace, tips when working from home, and the link between ADHD & SEO.

After attending the conference from Wednesday to Friday, I thought that it would be useful to share my ‘top 10’ learnings from the event with my fellow PRs and marketers!

 

 

Takeaway 1

4 questions to ask as a successful manager

1. What support do you need from me?
2. What obstacles might we encounter this week and what can we do together to overcome them?
3. What feedback do you have for me?
4. What is your goal for this week?

How to manage, motivate, and inspire a digital PR team even if you work remotely – Mary Hickey

 

Takeaway 2

Three lessons for becoming a successful manager

1. Create bite-sized goals – encourage weekly targets
2. Have a growth mindset – ring fence learning and development time
3. Trust your team – manage from the sidelines, don’t fear your team’s expertise

How to manage, motivate, and inspire a digital PR team even if you work remotely – Mary Hickey

 

Takeaway 3

You only need to know more than your client to offer them value. Even if it’s in just a single topic.

From newbie to client whisperer – Karim Adib

 

Takeaway 4

Ideas aren’t fuelled by creativity, ideas are fuelled by consumption.

1. Consume the news – the news cycle repeats itself. We can use this to predict the future. Discover the stories relevant to your brand.
2. Research what issues the clients in your industry are facing and solve them. This can include fun ways to solve them or by providing a practical solution.

Explore the critical role of consumption in fuelling ideas – Mark Rofe

 

Takeaway 5

The 30,30,3 rule

• 30 seconds: to cover a breaking news story e.g. a celebrity death, or election results
• 30 minutes: how long you have to write a story on a breaking news shift
• 3 times: How many times a journalist will cover a breaking news story with a news angle per day

Using the 30, 30, 3 rule for reactive coverage success – Clara Kelly

 

Takeaway 6

Nearly 40% of Gen Zs prefer searching using TikTok and Instagram over Google

TikTok’s impact on search & the power of the creator economy – Sophie Warner

 

Takeaway 7

Top tips to ensure a safe WFH environment:

• Sit at the right height
• Exit the sofa/kitchen chair and use a proper office chair (and move more)
• Only use your laptop on a stand and with a separate keyboard and mouse

The 10 most common mistakes when working from home – Jo Blood

 

Takeaway 8

If you broke down everything that could impact performance and then you improved every little thing by 1%, when you clump it all together, you’re going to get quite a significant increase in performance

The 3 pillars of high-performance teams – Alex Wright

 

Takeaway 9

As an employer, make sure that you are aligning digital marketing with equality.

• 84% of consumers think it’s important for brands to promote diversity and inclusion
• More people believe their identity/ethnic background has had an impact on their career opportunities

Aligning digital marketing with equality – Azeem Ahmed

 

Takeaway 10

The office is the people, not the building.

• Create a workspace that is fun and inspiring
• Fun = happy team = increased productivity

Don’t be a lazy leader – you’re responsible for your employees and team. People want to be part of something bigger.

How to rethink the traditional SEO workplace to promote team well-being and productivity – Tom Vaughton

 

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