Earn the Stage at SEO Week: 5 Tips to Wow Us at our Open Call for Speakers
Francine Monahan
January 13, 2026
Have you ever been in the audience of an SEO conference watching a well-known expert share research and ideas and thought, “I could do that”? Have you been sitting on a huge discovery but lack the resources or opportunities to share it with the world? Are you sick of listening to the same 10 people dominate the conversation in the SEO industry?
This opportunity is for you.
SEO Week is opening the mainstage to someone who’s never spoken at the event before. The SEO Week Open Call gives one standout pro a 30-minute slot at our 2026 conference in New York City from April 27 to 30, with travel and hotel covered. No famous byline is required, just a pitch that proves you have something vital to say.
We want to hear something brand new that’s never been presented anywhere else before.
We’re reviewing every submission to find fresh thinking. After building this competition from the ground up, we know exactly what makes a pitch rise to the top. While you work on your pitch to meet the January 31 deadline, here’s how to give yours the best shot.
Submission deadline: JANUARY 31st, 2026
1. If You Build It…
“I will be more impressed by someone who brings something they built,” said Mike King, founder of iPullRank.
These days, between vibe coding and app building, the ability to create new systems yourself is more accessible than ever.
Take the time to research what’s missing in our industry and what could help other marketers and SEOs, or look at your own processes and see what’s missing. Then build the solution to fill the gaps and then share it with the world. We all benefit from innovation.
2. Bring Receipts, Not Theories
We see plenty of submissions that sound good in the abstract but collapse under scrutiny. The difference between interesting and compelling is evidence. You need to show that your idea has been tested, measured, or applied in the real world.
This doesn’t mean every person needs a formal case study with charts and revenue graphs, but you do need something concrete. For example:
- An experiment you ran
- A pattern you noticed across client work
- Data that surprised you
- A process that changed outcomes
If your pitch relies entirely on “I think” or “maybe,” it’s not ready. Show us the receipts.
3. Connect Your Idea to Real Problems
The best sessions at SEO Week solve problems people are actively struggling with. Your pitch needs to answer the question: why does this matter right now?
Ground your idea in a real tension or gap. Make it clear who benefits from your thinking and what changes when they apply it.
Tell a story to make your idea compelling and relatable.
“Tying it to a narrative is useful,” said iPullRank’s Director of Marketing Garrett Sussman. “And feel free to be controversial.”
4. Let Your Personality Show
We’re not looking for corporate keynote polish. Raw and real works. In fact, it often works better.
Your 2–3-minute video pitch doesn’t need professional lighting or a scripted delivery. What it needs is authenticity.
We want to see how you think, how you communicate, and whether you can hold a room. If you’re funny, be funny. If you’re direct, be direct. If you geek out on methodology, lean into it and go full geek.
The finalist pitch event happens live in front of the community so we’re not just evaluating your idea, we’re evaluating whether you can present it with energy and clarity. Give us a taste of that in your video.
5. Pick a Lane, Then Go Deep
Your pitch should fit into one of these four areas to coincide with each day of the conference:
- Science (data, research, modeling, measurement)
- Psychology (persuasion, behavior, content strategy)
- Ecosystem (cross-channel thinking, vertical nuance, brand systems that can include ecommerce, Local SEO, Enterprise, etc.)
- Future (emerging models, shifts in search behavior, new discovery modes)
Don’t try to cover all of them. Pick one and go deep because depth beats breadth every time. We’d rather see a focused, tactical session on measurement frameworks than a sprawling overview of “the future of search.”
Your three takeaways are the test. If someone walks away from your session, what are the three specific things they’ll know or do differently? Write those down. If they’re vague or overlapping, refine them until they’re sharp.
Do You Have What It Takes?
Even if you don’t make the finalist list, building your pitch forces clarity. You’ll stress-test your idea, sharpen your argument, and figure out whether it holds up. That process alone is valuable.
And if you win? You’ll be presenting live to the SEO Week community with the same visibility as speakers who’ve been in the industry for decades.
So, if you’ve been sitting on a concept that feels exciting to you, it’s probably exciting to us and we want to see it.
The submission deadline is January 31st, 2026.
Get to work and we’ll see you in April.
Requirements and Legal Disclaimer
Requirements:
- Must be 18 years or older.
- Open to participants worldwide.
- Must work in, study, or actively contribute to SEO, content, marketing, analytics, UX, data, AI, product, or adjacent fields.
- Submissions must be original and not previously presented at another conference.
- Only one submission per person.
- Team submissions are not allowed; the competition is for individual speakers only.
- Entrants must be available for the live virtual pitch event on February 19th if selected as finalists.
- Entrants must be willing to have their pitch video, headshot, and materials used in SEO Week promotions.
- All finalists agree to the recording and distribution of the live pitch event.
- The winner must be available to attend SEO Week 2026 in New York to deliver their session.
Participation in the SEO Week Stage Challenge is voluntary and subject to all published rules and terms. By submitting, entrants confirm that their work is original, that they meet eligibility requirements, and that iPullRank may use submitted materials—including video pitches, headshots, bios, and presentation summaries—for judging and promotional purposes. Finalists consent to the recording and distribution of the live virtual pitch event. The winner must attend SEO Week 2026 to present. iPullRank is not responsible for technical issues, lost files, or travel disruptions. All judging decisions are final.
SECURE
YOUR PLACE
at SEO Week 2026
Tickets are limited. Prices increase as tiers sell out.
This is where real progress happens. The people building the next phase of AI Search will be in the room. Be one of them.
SECURE YOUR PLACE at SEO Week 2026
Tickets are limited. Prices increase as tiers sell out.
This is where real progress happens. The people building the next phase of AI Search will be in the room. Be one of them.