As part of ClickZ’s Connected Marketing Week, Search Engine Strategies (SES) San Francisco is hosting its “learn-in” from Tuesday August 17^th through Thursday August 19^th, featuring the brightest stars of search and social marketing. And yes, our Heather is most prominently featured! First she will introduce the speakers for “Content Marketing Optimization,” and then present — surprise! — “Developing Great Content.”  The agenda details can be accessed at SES San Francisco.

Speaking of great content…other news and links well worth your while, from content mills to content as link bait, to landing page testing, content management, and a 12-step rehab program:

• You may recall the recent buzz /controversy over content mills/farming?  Well, take at look at this:  Blekko may be in prime position to become the new search tool of the day, allowing you to saw-zaw your way through, well, bad SERP listings and farmed content to get to those quality sources and sites that you trust!  It’ll be most interesting to how this scenario plays out!
• Search Engine Land boasts a post from Jordan Kasteler, of BlueGlass fame, sharing on How To Focus on Content to Create Great Linkbait. Now, don’t yawn or be too quick to dismiss – this brief article is loaded with great insights!
• Yes, it’s true – the 12-step program has found its way into content marketing, via a Landing Page Rehab Program that, once you stop laughing, is a fabulous, full-on infographic complete with 12 steps and “Doctors Orders.” 5 stars out of 5!!
• And finally, from Marketing Sherpa are two great articles, one specifically addressed to SEO copywriters, listing five specific tactics to ensure that your company or client’s content management system supports your SEO goals, and the second, a 6-step how-to on planning landing page tests.

For the first time this year, audience members seemed hopeful. Maybe it’s because 2009 is drawing to a close. Maybe it’s because the recession is (finally) unhinging it’s iron-locked jaws off everyone’s pocketbooks. Whatever the reason, the SEO copywriting session I did with @byronwhite was darn near standing-room only. Not to mention, the audience was fantastic!

For those who missed it, here’s my presentation from the “45 Minute Copywriting Boot Camp” session. Enjoy!

It’s not just the speakers (always top-notch) or the vibe (always fun.) PubCon is a great combination of smart people, talented speakers and excellent content – much of which you won’t find anywhere else.

And it’s coming up in less than two weeks. Are you ready?

If you’re new to PubCon, you’ll find your “survival guide” below. I’ve compiled this list after 4 years of speaking at PubCon (and 10+ years of speaking at other search engine industry conferences.) If you follow these 15 tips, you’ll have a fun, profitable time.

Before the show:

1. Try to finish up as much work as you can before hitting the plane. You may have every intention of working a “normal” day while you attend conference sessions. It won’t happen. Really, it won’t. You’ll be pulled in 100 different directions and on “conference time.”
2. Send emails to people you want to meet and introduce yourself. Even if you can’t set up a formal appointment time, you can at least get on their radar – and then introduce yourself when you see the opportunity.
3. Check out the PubCon blog for the latest and greatest. You’ll learn about speakers, sessions, special discounts…and yes, the networking parties.
4. Make plans to see your friends. Chances are, you’ll find your best buddies at the show, at the hotel bar or at one of the networking parties. But if it’s really, really important to see someone, make plans to meet them at a certain time. I don’t know how many times I’ll say “I’ll see you there” – and then I barely catch a glimpse of them during the show.
5. Check out the #pubcon Tweets on Twitter – especially if you’re a PubCon newbie. You’ll learn about the speakers, the conference-goers and the after-conference activities. Plus, Twitter is an easy way to meet folks if you’re shy – and keep up with them during the show. Once you hit Vegas, you’ll already have a group of people to roll with.

At the show:

1. Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to the speakers and ask questions. The speakers are PubCon are nice, approachable and friendly. Most of the time, they’re happy to answer whatever question you have. Having said that…
2. Don’t ask a speaker to provide free SEO consulting. Yes, the speakers love sharing their knowledge  – and we’re happy to answer your questions on stage or after the panels. However, please don’t ask for free, in-depth help that you’d normally pay for under the guise of  “Could you spare 30 minutes to look at my site and just give me a few pointers.”  And for goodness sake, please don’t follow us into the bathroom and try to hand us your business card under the stall (yes, it’s happened – to multiple people, multiple times.) Thank you. We appreciate it.
3. Don’t be one of those “room-service people.” Sure, you’re exhausted after a full day of PubCon. And yes, curling up in bed and ordering room service sounds cozy. Just know that a huge amount of networking takes place in the bars and at the clubs. The more people you meet, the more opportunities you have to network – and that won’t happen in the privacy of your hotel room.
4. By the same token – pace yourself at the parties. A huge newbie mistake is partying so hard during the first night that the rest of the conference is a hungover blur. Remember, you’re there to learn – not party (I know, I know.) If nothing else, remember to eat a good dinner and that water is your friend. Drink a lot of it. It’s better for you than vodka.
5. Go to sessions you wouldn’t normally attend.  If you’re an organic SEO person, hit some PPC sessions. If you don’t know anything about contextual advertising, check out a session. You never know what you’ll learn – or who you’ll meet – that can help with a future gig.

After the show:

1. Be aware of what @josephmorin calls the PCB’s (the post-conference blues.) It’s always a weird feeling after spending a whirlwind few days in Vegas to come home and be partner, parent and all-around “normal” person again. You may get a little depressed. It’s OK. We all do.
2. If a speaker gave you a tip that rocked your SEM world, let him or her know. Speakers love to know when they’ve helped someone (otherwise, we wouldn’t be speaking!). A short “Thanks for the tip on X” is fantastic feedback. And besides, you’ll make their day.
3. When you follow up by email, mention something that will jog the other person’s memory like, “We were discussing how to implement linkbait strategies for ecommerce sites.” Conference-goers meet so many people during PubCon that it’s often hard to keep everyone straight – so memory-cues like that are crucial. Personalized emails encourage conversation ore than generic “nice meeting you” emails – and you’ll be more apt to receive a response.
4. Upload and tag pictures with care. It’s more than “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” It’s showing respect for your colleagues…even if they just happened to get in the shot and you don’t know who they are. Some photos look more compromising than what was happening in real life, and you don’t want to mess with someone’s job (or their relationship) because you thought a certain picture was funny. And sometimes, the folks in the picture are doing exactly what it looks like – but really, is that something you need to post? When in doubt, ask the folks in the pic if it’s OK to post or leave it out entirely.  Better safe than sorry.
5. Implement all your great ideas! PubCon is great for trading strategies with new friends, learning about the latest SEM information and discovering what works and what doesn’t. But conferences don’t help you if you don’t put those great ideas into action.

I’ll see you there! I’ll be moderating the “SEO and Viral Tactics on a Shoestring Budget” on November 11th and “Optimizing Your Site for Contextual Ads” on November 12th.  I’ll also be discussing “Real World Winning Tactics for Content Creation” on November 12th.  And if you want to reach me before the show, just zip a Tweet to @heatherlloyd. It will be great to “meet” you!

And if you have your own PubCon conference tip – please share it below!

This is a great opportunity to get (free!) advice on your SEO content marketing strategy, conversion effectiveness, technical SEO and social media campaign. Join us!

Enjoy the podcast about SEO copywriting and on page content now!

…It must be time for Search Engine Strategies, San Jose.

I’ve been speaking at this conference for 8 years (the first year was in San Francisco) and have loved every minute of it. And now, I’m thrilled (and honored)  to say that I’ll be speaking on two SES panels. It’s all the SEO content marketing goodness you want, packed in two, fun-filled sessions. Plus, my fellow panelists (and moderators) are not to be missed!

For those of you new to SEO copywriting and content strategy, the “Keywords and Content” session will be a perfect overview. And for those of you who are more advanced, my “Turn Brain Science into Bucks” will help you understand exactly what consumer psychology and neuromarketing buttons to push.

Here are the SES deets. If you attend one of my sessions (or see me on the conference floor,) give me a shout.  I’d love to meet you!

Turn Brain Science into Bucks: Incorporating Persuasive Messaging into Your Content Strategy
Tuesday, August 11, 1:45PM

Twitter. White papers. Optimized web pages. Blog posts. Companies have more opportunities than ever before to create content that captures new buyers, opens up communication, and builds loyal customer relationships — just by understanding how the latest persuasive marketing techniques mesh with the online content marketing cycle. We’ll showcase some current online content campaigns, and explain how one-to-one and one-to-many content strategies help persuade buyers, build trust, and get great search engine listings. Plus, you’ll learn how social proof, neuroscience, and psychology dictates whether your content strategy causes conversions — or misses the mark.

• Moderator:
  Greg Jarboe, President & Co-Founder, SEO-PR
  
  Click to close

  Speaker Profile

Speakers:
Graeme McLaughlin, Manager Digital Marketing, British Columbia Automobile Association
Heather Lloyd-Martin, CEO, SuccessWorks

Keywords & Content: Search Marketing Foundations

Wednesday, August 12, 9-10:15AM

How many keywords do you need in your paid search account? What keywords are your customers searching for? How do customers find products after they reach your site? Learn how to target the right terms in your paid and organic search marketing, and where these keywords should be used.

• Moderator:
  Anne F. Kennedy, SES Advisory Board, Founder Partner and CMO, http://Joblr.com and Managing Partner & Founder, Beyond Ink
  
  Click to close

  Speaker Profile

Speakers:
Christine Churchill, President, KeyRelevance
Heather Lloyd-Martin, CEO, SuccessWorks
Jill Whalen, CEO, High Rankings
Marc Canabou, Senior Director, Product Management Leader, Yahoo! Search Advertising
Ari Levenfeld, Manager Client Services, Ask Sponsored Listings

I need your help.

Next week, I’m presenting on “Next level SEO: Supercharge your existing SEO campaign and increase your ROI” during the Direct Marketing Association’s ACCM conference. It’ll be an intense 2.5 hour session, outlining all the things marketers can do to improve their sites and make more money.

I want to make sure that I’m discussing the pain points that catalog marketers are feeling right now. If you’re a catalog marketer, what are your biggest SEO challenges?  Is it writing original content for 10,000 SKUs? Is it researching and managing a keyphrase strategy? Is a “SEO 101″ recap in order, or are you way past that and looking for new ideas?

Thanks in advance for any and all help you can provide. I’ll be giving my presentation next Monday – so please leave your comments, questions and ideas.

And if you’re going to the ACCM conference in New Orleans, stop by the SuccessWorks Search Marketing Labs. We’ll be reviewing sites live and offering fast, on the fly SEO consulting. Session times are:

Tuesday, May 5 – 2:30-4:45 p.m.

Wednesday, May 6 – 11:15-12:15, 2:45 – 3:45 p.m.

And yes, we’ll probably Tweet the heck out of the event. So don’t forget to follow me on Twitter for the latest and greatest!

Attention online copywriting freelancers: Are you wondering how to transform your part-time online writing career into a profitable, full-time career you’ll love?

Now, there’s a conference just for you – plus, if you sign up now, you’ll receive a $1,000 travel credit.

I’m thrilled to be a part of AWAI’s Web Copywriting Intensive being held February 15-18th in Austin, TX. I’ll be speaking with the best of the best in online writing, including:

• Nick Usborne (online writing)
• Matthew Furey (email writing)
• Andrew Palmer (PPC)

 
I’ve presented at AWAI conferences before and they are always fast-paced, fun and incredibly informative. Plus, I’ve spoken with folks who took what they learned from an AWAI conference and made their money back in just one or two clients. That’s a pretty fast ROI!

Come join me in Austin – it should be a great time (and…shhhh…I’ll be sharing my secrets to successful client relationships and building an awesome SEO copywriting strategy!).  Here’s the link again for more information:

http://www.awaionline.com/hl/webintensive

P.S.  This is also a great conference for in-house SEO copywriters who need online writing and SEO copywriting training.  Contact me if you have any questions.

Wondering how to improve your SEO campaign? Check out the SuccessWorks Search Marketing Experience Labs. A panel of experts will review your site and give you the SEO lowdown on what’s great, what you can do better and what you need to change right now. I’m extremely honored that some of the best and the brightest industry thought-leaders are joining me on this fast-paced panel. You’ll meet:

Jeannette Kocsis – Harte-Hanks

Graeme McLaughlin – BCAA

Detlev Johnson – Search Return

Join us October 14^th from 2-3pm and October 15^th from 10-11am. If you join us on the 14^th, you can help me celebrate my birthday. There may even be cake (and really, shouldn’t every conference session have cake?).

But seriously, the Search Marketing Experience panels are not to be missed. After all, it’s not every day that you can receive thousands of dollars of SEO advice for the cost of a conference pass. Just one tip could literally pay for the entire trip. Really.

If you want to drill down into SEO copywriting and content development, I’m co-presenting with Graeme McLaughlin on “Profiting through the Search Engine Sales Cycle” on Monday, October 12^th from 3-4:15. I’ll be discussing how to make money, see higher search rankings and streamline your spend with SEO copywriting – and Graeme will present his case study about how BCAA is leveraging content on their site. Graeme’s a great guy with an even better accent – it should be a rockin’ session.

See you in Vegas, baby.