The Women in Tech SEO conference brings together women from around the world to share their insights and experiences, in order to promote diversity and inclusion within the industry.
This year’s conference was full of inspiring talks from incredible speakers, touching on automation, neuroscience and executive buy-in. So, read on for our key insights from this incredible day!
Our approach to content needs to be holistic
Google’s primary focus is on enhancing and advancing the quality of search results by rewarding content that is helpful and user-friendly. This emphasis on quality has been further fuelled by the recent buzz surrounding artificial intelligence and automation, and their role in content generation. With this in mind, search engine optimisation (SEO) consultant Syphaïwong Bay took to the stage to deliver an insightful session on ‘Automating Content in a Meaningful Way’.
Syphaïwong emphasised the three key components of good copywriting: digital culture, technical SEO skills, and ‘laziness’. She explained that ‘laziness’ can be a positive component when it comes to finding ways to simplify and speed up smaller tasks. She then went on to provide valuable advice on leveraging automation to handle repetitive tasks in writing. For example, she suggested that search engine results page (SERP) scraping can be used to speed up topic research, and that SERP extraction tools can be used to quickly identify reliable authors and experts in an industry you knew nothing about before.
Syphaïwong stressed that copywriting is a difficult skill to master and that we should focus our automation efforts on streamlining the more time-consuming tasks, rather than attempting to automate expert-level writing. Ultimately, Syphaïwong’s talk drove home the significance of creating holistic content, combining technical skill with real, authentic, human writing.
Applying behavioural science to search
In a thought-provoking session, former neuroscientist turned SEO, Giulia Panozzo, reminded us that as SEO professionals, our primary goal is ‘not to optimise for search engines, but to optimise for people’.
Giulia’s unique perspective as a neuroscientist offers invaluable insights into how to stand out in SERPs. She explained how negativity can actually be an effective tool when it comes to generating compelling content, suggesting that exploring negative phrases in copywriting can help your brand distinguish itself from competitors. Additionally, Giulia highlights the importance of addressing users’ concerns proactively to establish trustworthiness and expertise.
Drawing on the concept of confirmation bias, Giulia stressed the need to appear prominently in the SERPs for queries that align with your audience’s expectations, in order to maintain their confidence in your brand. She also provided practical tips for grabbing users’ attention in the SERPs, such as starting with an unexpected phrase, evoking emotions, and incorporating elements of social proof.
Overall, Giulia’s talk offers a game-changing take on driving your SEO efforts, by reminding us that our ultimate goal is to connect with real people. Her practical tips and insights offered food for thought on how to improve our SEO tactics and really stand out from the competition.
Making your proposition compelling
Even if you’re delivering impressive SEO results, securing additional marketing budget can still be a significant challenge. In her insightful talk on securing executive buy-in, Managing Partner at Open Velocity, Bethan Vincent, shared some of her invaluable tips for successfully pitching to C-suite stakeholders. Bethan explored the nuances of engaging with different stakeholders, from high-level executives to lower-tier influencers, and provided practical advice for approaching each group effectively.
One of her top tips emphasised the importance of simplifying data to make it more accessible to your audience. By focusing on quantifiable statistics and explaining how they led to successful outcomes, you can avoid the ‘no’ and showcase your value more effectively.
Bethan also highlighted the need to reference the bigger picture in your pitch, illustrating how SEO fits into the wider marketing mix and how organic results can feed into other channels and the customer funnel. A key reminder here was that getting interrupted with questions can actually be a positive sign – it indicates that stakeholders are genuinely interested in your proposal!
While Bethan acknowledged that demonstrating the value of SEO can sometimes be a challenging task, she also recommended showcasing the route to return on investment by highlighting how even small changes can make a significant impact in the future. Her insights provide a roadmap for achieving executive buy-in and securing the extra budget your SEO team needs to continue driving great performance. By applying her key tips, we’ve learned how to build a strong case to take to any stakeholder and guarantee their sign off.
A day full of fantastic talks from fantastic women
Participating in this year’s Women in Tech SEO festival was an amazing experience! It was so inspiring to hear and learn from the incredible stories and diverse experiences of female leaders within the industry. The event provided us with an excellent platform to connect and share our unique perspectives with one another. It was truly a game-changer, empowering us to grow our skills and make our mark in the ever-evolving world of SEO!
If you want to learn more about the services that Croud offer, visit our SEO page, or get in contact with us today.
