Why so SEOrious? #3, Let's Talk!

October 26th 2023 was an important day for us, as it marked the one-year anniversary of our event series. In 2022, the first edition of SEO&Ads na Fyrtlu took place, where, together with Agencja Widoczni, we invited a few industry experts to give lectures on topics of their choice.

Moving forward to 2023, we split our ways, and on the same day, we ran the third edition of our original event series, Why so SEOrious?. This time, we decided to shake things up (again) and involve our audience more.

With a rather short time to prepare and a few minor issues on the way, we managed to organize our best event so far – not only according to ourselves!

Let's Talk!

The idea behind this edition was pretty simple: since large lectures tend to get boring very quickly, why don't we ask our guest speakers to prepare shorter ones and have a chat with us and the audience instead? It's safe for us to say that the audience loved how it turned out – and the main part went for almost an hour over the assumed time.

Each speaker had five to eight minutes to introduce their topic. After that, we handed the microphone to anyone who had any questions, remarks, or even controversial opinions on what was just said. Needless to say, it depends was the most common answer, but the speakers did not leave anyone empty-handed.

The Main Stage

The event's main stage was graced by three industry experts, Eugeniusz Poprocki, Krzysztof Mierzyński, and Rad Paluszak.

Eugene, the lead UX at Webmetric, spoke about what he considered to be the best user interface that doesn't compete for your attention. To be precise, he explained how no interface is the best interface. While at it, he pointed out the SEOs' tendency to put as much text as possible (making a few enemies in the process). The ultimate conclusion was that when developing a website or updating an existing one, the balance between requirements, content, and usability should be maintained with great care.

Next, Krzysztof Mierzyński, Content Marketing Director at Sunrise System, turned the spotlight on the under-utilization of content teams within SEO agencies. Despite being an avid AI promoter, he proposed a very human-oriented approach: content team members should not dwell in their basements and spew out one article after another. Instead, they should be the ones participating in meetings with clients and developing content plans!

Finally, Rad Paluszak, who is now a regular guest at our events (and the host of this edition), discussed the hot topic of algorithm updates in his presentation. He decided to in an even more interactive manner, holding the discussion along with his presentation. Needless to say, his pragmatist approach spawned much engagement, awakening interesting insights despite the late hour.

We could go on and on about the speakers and the content of their presentations, but what truly made the evening was the second part of each segment – the conversation. And we definitely want to try this formula again in the future!

What Is Helpful Content?

We typically don't plan any specific themes for our events. Still, given how much was going on lately with Google updates, it was only natural that this topic became the conversation starter, even for the UX folk.

The answers all sang a similar tune, albeit with slightly different melodic nuances. From the importance of making the user experience smooth and distraction-free to ensuring that content is both high-quality and effectively optimized by a well-organized content team in SEO agencies, the discussions were extraordinarily insightful. The climax was Rad Paluszak's diving into the details of how to complement these practices with a flexible but pragmatic approach to the ongoing algorithm updates.

Network & Chill

Post-event, it was time for some casual networking, where attendees enjoyed the open and friendly atmosphere, once again, away from typical event noise. During that time, we also interviewed our guest speakers – videos coming soon!

As the evening came to its end, the atmosphere was relaxed but insatiably curious, a sign of another successful event.

Wrapping Up

Looking back, we're convinced that this unique, conversational format is a winner and something we want to cultivate in future editions. A big thank you to all our speakers who lent their voices and insights to making this event knowledge-rich.

Our appreciation also goes out to the enthusiastic audience who contributed to the conversations with their questions and reflections. The success of any event lies not just in its execution but also in its ability to inspire, create dialogues and foster relationships – and we're glad Why so SEOrious? did just that!