SEO WEEK AGENDA
Secure Your Spot at SEO Week
Reserve your single-day pass for $499 or grab a full-event pass for access to every session, networking event, and expert discussion.
Monday, April 28th
THE SCIENCE
From crawling and indexing to large language models and retrieval engines, this day dives into the technical foundations of search and AI—how they work, how they’re evolving, and how SEOs can stay ahead of the machines shaping discovery.
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
REGISTRATION AND COFFEE
Start your day while enjoying a fresh cup of coffee. Registration opens bright and early to connect with fellow participants and ease into the day ahead. Whether you’re meeting new faces or catching up with familiar ones, this is the perfect time to get settled and energized before the event officially kicks off.
9:00 AM - 9:45 AM
The Brave New World of SEO
Mike kicks off the inaugural SEO Week and welcomes you with a clear-eyed look into the future of Search.
9:45 AM - 10:15 AM
Krishna Madhavan
Principal Product Manager, Microsoft AI, Bing Web Data Platform at Microsoft
From AI to Z: The Technical Evolution of Search Engines
This geeky (yet fun) talk will take you on a journey through the latest advancements in tech – from AI to quantum computing. It will explore how these cutting-edge technologies are revolutionizing the way we seek and use information online. Discover the fascinating technical leaps that are shaping the future of search, from AI-driven innovations to the mind-bending possibilities of latest advances in computing. Whether you’re a tech enthusiast or just curious about the future of search, this talk promises to be both informative and entertaining.
10:15 AM - 10:45 AM
MORNING BREAK
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
Authoritative Intelligence: Evolving IR, NLP, and Topical Evaluation in the Age of Infinite Content
Search is no longer about keywords—it’s about deep semantic understanding. Jeff Coyle will show how modern information retrieval, NLP, and AI-enhanced ranking methods redefine what it means to create authoritative content.
- How vector search, passage ranking, and hybrid retrieval models work
- Why search engines have evolved how they evaluate content quality
- How to build content that aligns with AI-driven ranking signals
11:15 AM - 11:45 AM
NEGSEO - SEO for the Bad Kids
Ever really wanted to get into the weeds about ways to mess up your competition, or find out how easy it is for them to mess up your websites in the SERPS? Well, buckle up, buttercup. Leave your scruples at the door, and come with an open mind because world renown hacker, RSnake, is going to teach you how to be naughty little SEOs.
11:45 AM - 1:15 PM
LUNCH BREAK
Step away from the event space and enjoy a change of scenery with an offsite lunch. Whether you choose to explore local dining options or join fellow attendees for a curated group experience, this break provides the perfect opportunity to refuel, recharge, and continue meaningful conversations in a relaxed setting.
1:15 PM - 1:45 PM
The Rise of the SEO Data Scientist
Data has always been the bedrock of successful SEO, and today’s explosion of Data Science tools and techniques has opened up powerful new possibilities—even for those who haven’t touched a line of code. In this session, we’ll explore how blending foundational SEO knowledge with a dash of programming know-how can dramatically expand your strategic edge.
- Discover the must-have data skills and tasks essential for modern SEO success
- Explore a curated set of workflows, visualizations, and automations—all ready to plug into your SEO toolbox
- Meet advertools, the free, open-source Python library built by a digital marketer for digital marketers, and see how it streamlines everything from data collection to reporting, to automating many SEO data workflows
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
Hybrid Engine Optimization: A Crawler Driven Approach to Maximizing Search & AI Visibility
As AI-driven search disrupts traditional SEO, brands must adapt to Hybrid Engine Optimization (HEO) to maximize visibility in search results and AI-generated answers. Jori Ford will walk you through a crawler-driven approach to hybrid search strategy:
- Using crawler logs to identify which bots (search & AI) interact with your site and how they interpret content
- Setting up tracking in Google Tag Manager (GTM), Google Analytics, and Search Console to monitor AI and search engine bots
- Build reports to visualize bot activity, analyze indexing patterns, and refine content strategies
2:15 PM - 2:45 PM
The Hype, the Hubris, and the Hard Lessons of AI Development
Building AI apps that scale without fail is doable with these tips from the trenches.
Annie Cushing has seen everything from an enthusiastic reception of an MVP expertly executed to a team getting fired within hours of their first demo (quite deservedly).
It will be a raw review that will hopefully help your team avoid some of the sinkholes of this rapidly evolving landscape.
2:45 PM - 3:15 PM
AFTERNOON BREAK
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Benchmarking Brand Discoverability: LLMs vs. Traditional Search
How well does your brand show up when users search for what you offer? JR Oakes will present a data-driven comparison of how large language models (LLMs) interpret brand relevance compared to traditional search engines.
- How LLMs rank and retrieve brand-related information differently than Google
- What current and historical language models reveal about brand perception
- Practical methods to benchmark brand discoverability across AI and search
3:45 PM - 4:15 PM
Frontier SEO Research and Data Science
Manick Bhan will unveil new research on search engine rankings, LLM visibility, and algorithmic pruning. This session dives deep into new correlation studies, semantic analysis, and real-world case studies to decode search behavior and ranking shifts.
- Correlation study of Google and Bing SERPs using new metrics, including PQ, semantic scores, and traffic-based insights, plus an investigation into LLM visibility and interrogation techniques
- Quantitative derivation of Topical Authority through n-gram analysis and correlation between crawl behavior and ranking fluctuations
- Case studies, including Python-based methods for using semantic distance in page vector embeddings to resolve topical dilution
4:15 PM - 4:45 PM
Introducing: AX (Agent Experience)
SEO isn’t just for search engines anymore—AI Answer Engines are rewriting the rules of content visibility. James Cadwallader will break down how brands need to optimize for AI Crawlers and AI retrieval agents in the next phase of search.
- How AI retrieval models process and rank information differently from search engines
- What “Agent Experience” (AX) means and why it matters for content strategy
- New methods for optimizing content to be surfaced by AI Agents
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
WELCOME SOIREE
Kick off SEO Week in style at our exclusive Welcome Soiree on April 28th. Mingle with fellow attendees, speakers, and industry leaders over drinks and light bites. Whether you’re reconnecting with colleagues or making new connections, this evening is all about setting the tone for an exciting week ahead. Relax, network, and get ready for an unforgettable SEO experience!
SPONSORED BY:
Tuesday, April 29th
THE PSYCHOLOGY
Search isn’t just changing for users—it’s changing for marketers too. This day explores how AI, evolving consumer expectations, and new search experiences are reshaping both how people find information and how brands need to think, create, and adapt their content strategies.
Secure Your Spot at SEO Week
Reserve your single-day pass for $499 or grab a full-event pass for access to every session, networking event, and expert discussion.
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
COFFEE AND CONVERSATION
9:00 AM - 9:45 AM
Ricardo Baeza-Yates
Chief Scientist at Theodora AI
TBA
9:45 AM - 10:15 AM
The "Other" AI That is Hurting Your Organic Traffic
SEO isn’t the only game in town—social platforms are reshaping discovery in ways search can’t keep up with. Wil Reynolds will show how focusing on Authentic Intelligence (real human engagement) has driven long-term growth, and why social traffic might be a more sustainable bet than AI-powered search.
- How Wil’s team scaled social traffic from 200 to 5,000 visits in three months
- Why AI-generated search results can’t compete with real audience engagement
- A playbook for balancing SEO with social-driven discovery for long-term success
10:15 AM - 10:45 AM
MORNING BREAK
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
The Evolving Content Marketing Playbook
Content marketing never stays the same. Ross Hudgens will show what’s working now, what’s failing, and how to build a content strategy that holds up long-term.
- How to create content that ranks and drives meaningful results
- Why audience intent should shape every content decision you make
- The formats and strategies that will keep working—no matter what Google does
11:15 AM - 11:45 AM
AI is Rewiring Your Search Behavior
Search isn’t about keywords anymore—it’s about conversations. Garrett Sussman will break down how AI search engines like Google, Gemini, Perplexity, and ChatGPT Search are reshaping how people interact with information, moving from keyword-based queries to dynamic, context-driven exchanges.
- How AI models might interpret intent, context, and nuance differently from traditional search
- How to prioritize natural language, contextual depth, and conversational relevance-focused content strategies
- What brands must do to stay visible in an AI-first search environment
11:45 AM - 1:15 PM
LUNCH BREAK
1:15 PM - 1:45 PM
F$%@ Traffic: Prioritizing Conversions Over Vanity Metrics
Bianca Anderson will challenge your old-school SEO KPIs and introduce a new framework for measuring success based on revenue, engagement, and business impact.
- Why traffic alone is a misleading metric for SEO success
- How to identify and protect high-converting content
- The “Heavy Hitter Process” for shifting focus from clicks to conversions
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
Stop Doing Marketing
Most marketing plans are just lists of activities—not actual strategies. Devin Bramhall will show why “doing marketing” isn’t the same as growing a business—and how to build a strategy that actually drives results.
- Why more marketing activity doesn’t guarantee more impact
- How to align marketing efforts with business growth goals
- The mindset shift needed to stop chasing tactics and start making real progress
2:15 PM - 2:45 PM
The Lessons I Haven't Shared on LinkedIn from Offsite SEO - Earning Over 50K Links Through Content Marketing
If you like what she shares on Linkedin, imagine what she hasn’t shared. Carrie Rose has run onsite and offsite content marketing campaigns for enterprise brands globally, including Bumble, SIXT, Amazon, Hubspot, and more, and in this talk, she opens up about 10 lessons she hasn’t told anyone about earning links through digital PR and content-led SEO.
- The content formats that consistently attract links at scale
- How to structure campaigns to maximize link acquisition
- What most SEOs get wrong about earning links through digital PR
2:45 PM - 3:15 PM
AFTERNOON BREAK
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Your Most Valuable Asset: Why You’re Not Using It (And How to Fix That)
Brie Anderson will expose the most common reasons businesses fail to leverage their data and show how to turn insights into action—without needing an analytics degree.
- The biggest data mistakes companies make and how to fix them
- How to set up simple data workflows for smarter decision-making
- Practical ways to turn analytics into meaningful business impact
3:45 PM - 4:15 PM
Stop Chasing Conversions: Win More Customers with an Emotion-first CRO Strategy That Actually Works
It’s time to say goodbye to best practices and guesswork. Talia Wolf will break down why most tests are doomed to fail and how an emotion-based approach to CRO delivers consistent results.
- The biggest CRO mistakes that are killing your conversions
- How to create experiences that connect with real customer motivations
- A repeatable framework for turning browsers into buyers
4:15 PM - 4:45 PM
From Villains to Heroes
Does the information retrieval industry’s outdated, siloed, and biased misperception of modern SEO have the potential to hurt their industry and search overall? Dawn Anderson will show that the reality is modern SEOs are heroes, not villains.
- IR industry’s outdated view of modern SEO – Are we all just spammers?
- What does SEO contribute to modern search – the bridge SEO represents takes us from villains to heroes.
- IR research rebuking SEO, which arguably doesn’t understand SEO basics.
- Whilst IR researchers focus on Gen AI, the web burns and SEOs help to put out the fires.
Wednesday, April 30th
THE ECOSYSTEM
SEO isn’t one-size-fits-all. This day focuses on the nuances of enterprise search, vertical-specific strategies like video, local, and ecommerce, and how businesses can build scalable, future-proof search strategies.
Secure Your Spot at SEO Week
Reserve your single-day pass for $499 or grab a full-event pass for access to every session, networking event, and expert discussion.
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
COFFEE AND CONVERSATION
9:45 AM - 10:15 AM
All the Wrong Tech for All the Right reasons
You can automate or generate just about anything these days except an authentic empathy for your flesh and blood audience. As we continue to navigate our way through an incredibly volatile period in technology, culture, and media, Farrah Bostic will walk you through some of the core tools in our very human toolkit to answer four core questions:
- What do we do?
- Who do we do it for?
- What are we up against
- What’s next?
Using quick strike research to incrementally plant strategy seeds can help you stay connected to your audience and your brand’s purpose.
10:15 AM - 10:45 AM
MORNING BREAK
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
The State of eCommerce SEO: How to Win in Today's Products SERPs
In this session, Aleyda will cover the current state of eCommerce SERPs and the latest SEO strategies driving online stores worldwide, based on survey insights and research across thousands of product queries in various verticals.
- Learn what’s generating actual clicks and conversions,
- What to avoid, and
- How to continue winning in an era where Google is evolving into a marketplace with AI-driven, personalized results
11:15 AM - 11:45 AM
YouTube Keyword Research 2.0
Most YouTube keyword research is broken—trying to force Google SEO methods onto a completely different platform. Phil Nottingham will introduce a smarter, data-backed way to identify video topics that actually generate views.
- Why most third-party “YouTube search volume” data is misleading
- How to research video ideas based on format, competition, and audience intent
- A practical framework for planning videos that drive real engagement
11:45 AM - 1:15 PM
LUNCH BREAK
1:15 PM - 1:45 PM
Unlocking Google Discover Code - Analyzing 200+ Million Articles
Google Discover isn’t a mystery—it just plays by different rules than traditional search. John Shehata has analyzed over 200 million articles to break down exactly what works, what doesn’t, and how to tap into Discover’s traffic potential.
- How Google Discover selects and surfaces content (and what that means for you)
- The key factors that drive visibility in Discover’s AI-curated feed
- The top mistakes that cause sites to lose Discover traffic—and how to fix them
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
Diving into Deepseek 🐳 Generative Search Optimization
Deepseek is quickly emerging as a major player in generative search. Crystal Carter will break down how this new model works and what it means for search optimization.
- How Deepseek’s generative model differs from traditional search engines
- New optimization strategies for surfacing content in LLM-driven search results
- What brands need to do to stay visible in an evolving search ecosystem
2:15 PM - 2:45 PM
Enterprise-scale Ecommerce and Retail SEO Lessons From Thousands of Experiments
SEO for ecommerce is shifting fast, and Will Critchlow’s team has the data to prove it. He’ll break down what’s actually working for big retailers right now—and where things are headed next.
- The SEO tactics driving real revenue for ecommerce brands today
- What experiments reveal about Google’s direction for online shopping
- Actionable steps to stay ahead of search changes before they hit
2:45 PM - 3:15 PM
AFTERNOON BREAK
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
The 3 Dimensions of Local Search
3:45 PM - 4:15 PM
Cultivating Momentum for Large SEO Projects
To keep momentum on longer-term projects, SEOs need to shift our analytics and reporting mindset toward input metrics: the things we’re doing now that we expect to have an impact in the future, and what we expect that impact to be.
Ruth Burr Reedy with demonstrate how this shift goes beyond forecasting to connect inputs to outcomes and demonstrate consistent progress toward SEO goals, even before that tipping point where the results have started to roll in.
- Connecting opportunity sizing and forecasting to objectives, leading indicators, and inputs
- Selecting meaningful inputs to target and report on
- Highlighting the consequences of internal delays
- Using input metrics to get and keep buy-in across internal teams
4:15 PM - 4:45 PM
Search, AI & UGC: Navigating the Future of Google & Reddit’s Influence
Google’s partnership with Reddit has changed the way search surfaces user-generated content. Ross Simmonds will break down how brands can leverage this shift to their advantage.
- Why Reddit threads are influencing search rankings more than ever
- How Google’s AI Overviews prioritize UGC in search results
- Tactical ways to integrate Reddit into your SEO and content strategy
7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
SEO WEEK SIGNATURE PARTY
Celebrate the end of an incredible SEO Week at our official After Party on Wed, Apr 30th. Unwind, connect, and toast to a week filled with insights, networking, and innovation. Whether you’re looking to keep the conversations going or just kick back and enjoy the night, this is your chance to relax and celebrate with fellow attendees. Expect great music, drinks, and a lively atmosphere to wrap up the week in style!
SPONSORED BY:
Thursday, May 1st
THE FUTURE
Search is being rewritten in real time. This day looks at where things are headed—from AI-driven search platforms and the evolution of Google to the rise of alternative engines—so SEOs and brands can prepare for what’s next.
Secure Your Spot at SEO Week
Reserve your single-day pass for $499 or grab a full-event pass for access to every session, networking event, and expert discussion.
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
COFFEE AND CONVERSATION
9:00 AM - 9:45 AM
You Are Bigger than SEO
For years, search was the main way people found things online—but that’s not the case anymore. Rand Fishkin will break down how discovery has changed and what marketers need to do beyond SEO to stay relevant.
- What the data actually says about how people find and buy today
- Why SEO alone won’t cut it anymore (and what to do instead)
- How to build a marketing strategy that survives in a Zero-Click world
9:45 AM - 10:15 AM
Executive Presence: How To Get Buy In and Budget For SEO
Getting SEO buy-in isn’t about tactics—it’s about selling the right story to the right people. Tom Critchlow will teach you how to talk to executives in a way that gets results.
- The language executives understand (and what they ignore)
- How to tie SEO to business goals to secure more budget
- The key to positioning yourself as a strategic leader, not just an SEO
10:15 AM - 10:45 AM
MORNING BREAK
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
Beyond Rank Tracking: Analyzing Brand Perceptions Through Language Model Association Networks
Rank tracking is outdated. Search engines don’t just rank pages anymore—they build complex maps of how brands and concepts connect. Dan Petrovic will show you how to tap into the same technology Google uses to understand brand positioning in a way that traditional SEO tools can’t.
- Why rankings alone don’t tell the full story of your brand’s visibility
- How to use language models to uncover hidden brand associations
- A step-by-step look at the DEJAN methodology for mapping brand perception
11:15 AM - 11:45 AM
Word to Your MUM
MUM (Multitask Unified Model) changed how Google processes and understands queries, but most SEOs are still optimizing like it’s 2017. Cindy Krum will unpack how MUM is shaping search results, AI Overviews, and content classification, and what brands need to do to keep up.
- How MUM processes multimedia, multi-step queries, and cross-language content
- Why traditional keyword strategies don’t align with how MUM structures information
- What changes brands should make to optimize for AI-driven, contextual search
11:45 AM - 1:15 PM
LUNCH BREAK
1:15 PM - 1:45 PM
AI's Impact on Media and PR SEO
- How these technologies are fundamentally reshaping how and why we need to cultivate backlinks,
- Why PR SEO is critical to trust and conversions
- What a future-proofed integrated PR SEO strategy should look like
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
LLM Experience Gain: How We Climbed the Animal SERPs with a Text-based Gen AI Game
Animal Matchup started as an experiment in programmatic SEO and AI copy, but when “Create Your Own” was introduced, it unexpectedly unlocked a new frontier—an AI-driven storytelling game that now attracts over 10,000 weekly active users.
In this session, you’ll learn how to leverage large language models (LLMs) to create unique, AI-powered experiences that win SERPs—a concept we call LLM Experience Gain.
- How traditional programmatic SEO can be supercharged with API-driven features
- How an in-house CMS can scale AI-generated images
- How a two-person, bootstrapped team proved that generative AI content can drive sustained engagement—not just short-term traffic spikes
2:15 PM - 2:45 PM
From Clicks to Connections: How Content Strategy is Redefining Engagement
Clicks don’t equal connection. Fajr Muhammad will show why engagement isn’t about surface-level metrics anymore and how brands can build real, lasting relationships through content that’s interactive, personal, and designed for long-term impact.
- Why traditional engagement metrics fail to capture audience intent
- How user expectations are shifting toward immersive and interactive content
- A framework for crafting content experiences that drive both conversions and loyalty
2:45 PM - 3:15 PM
AFTERNOON BREAK
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Navigating a $14 Million Domain Migration
Migrating a domain is risky enough—doing it for a $14 million acquisition raises the stakes even higher. Andrew Prince will walk through how Rocket Homes successfully transitioned to a new domain while protecting rankings, traffic, and brand identity.
- The technical SEO playbook for high-stakes domain migrations
- How to secure executive buy-in for SEO priorities during rebrands
- Lessons learned from handling millions of indexed pages in a migration
3:45 PM - 4:15 PM
When You Can't Beat 'em, Buy 'em : Growing Your Audience Through Strategic Acquisition
Ranking in position one is great, but what if you could dominate the entire first page? Nick Eubanks will show how strategic acquisitions can help brands expand their search footprint far beyond traditional SEO. You could build incrementally or buy exponentially. Feels more efficient if you’ve got the capital.
- How to identify and acquire high-affinity websites for organic dominance
- Why owning multiple top-ranking assets beats trying to outrank competitors
- The playbook for expanding audience reach through acquisitions
4:15 PM - 4:45 PM
The Vicious Cycle of SEO: How We Got Here & Where We’re Going
SEO is an ever-evolving industry, yet SEO history keeps repeating itself. From once-effective tactics turned obsolete to Google’s constant algorithm updates that reshape the landscape, the SEO cycle is as ruthless as it is predictable.
In this session, Lily Ray will break down the key patterns that have shaped SEO over the years — what worked, what failed, and why, and how past knowledge can inform future approaches. By analyzing past trends, Google policy shifts, and major algorithm updates, we’ll uncover actionable insights to help you future-proof your SEO strategy.
- Which SEO tactics are still worth investing in—and which are fading fast
- How to identify high-risk strategies before they hurt your rankings
- What upcoming changes in search and AI-driven content mean for your approach
- How to break free from the cycle of short-term wins and build long-term SEO success
Secure Your Spot at SEO Week
Reserve your single-day pass for $499 or grab a full-event pass for access to every session, networking event, and expert discussion.
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