What was the best SEO/Social Media tip overheard at PubCon?

If you set up a #pubcon hash tag for last week’s conference in Austin, you may had noticed that at times the search stream appeared to be moving like a video, as there were so many updates. There was lots of great information shared in the sessions, and tweeting tips was a regular part of audience activities, but did you catch them all?

Twitter Marketing Slide During @ArnieK PubCon Presentation

Throughout the 2-Day Conference, I grabbed a couple dozen tweeted tips, but I didn’t get them all. If you remember any that I may have missed, feel free to add them in the comments.

joeyabna: best seo tip overheard at #pubcon monitor your social checkins live engage them and make sure they have a good experience.

MonsterResource: The best seo tip I got at #pubcon is to fix broken internal links, if you use word press, The brokenlinkchecker plug in is a good one.

graywolf: TIP: Retweet someone who is at the show you want to meet/talk to, they will notice and its an easy way to break the ice.

MelyssaTweeting: #pubcon Great #ORM tips coming from @btabke – monitor your employees names <– totally didn’t even think about that one!

portentint: Wonderwheel for keyword research, and thought process research – great tip from @katemorris #pubcon

DallasSEOGuru: #pubcon tip: buy a guru a beer and get better tips. I learned it from #dfwsem

joeyabna: WordPress tips from #pubcon Edit Your Urls before you post the article. Make prettier urls with the right keywords nothing extra.

TechLH: nice tip RT @affpathfinder: go to phone stores and test them all for your local business. See what shows up.

ADIO Chiropractic appearing centered on screen of Motorola device inside a Verizon store

toddmintz: RT @graywolf: TIP: Don’t sit in your room watching TLC go to the networking events, meet and introduce yourself to people u will be rewarded.

Thos003: Tip… RT @schachin: Co-ordinate your content writing, posting and link building schedules > @saffyre9 #Pubcon

PaulWilson: Greatest tip from #pubcon: How to get your twitter name changed (Twitter Help). Thanks @alison for answering my question!

graywolf: TIP: Make sure you attend at least one session where you learn something new every conference #pubcon

Lau066: Google Webmaster Tool Tip: Make sure email associated with Google Webmaster Tools is correct – this is critical!

martyjbell: Good tip RT @knit_hat: RT @lpickles: Take anyone’s bitly link and add + to see clicks #pubcon

Spencer_Kendall: Book Tip: Brett Tabkes 26 Steps to 15K Visits a Day #pubcon (I think he is referring to a WMW post by @btabke aka Successful Site in 12 Months with Google Alone)

Also, @DanZarrella (2 R’s 2 L’s) shared a tip with me on attracting more followers by helping people out on twitter. Using Twitter Search, enter a keyword followed by a space and then a question mark (like Headaches ?)

Hope to see ya’ll in Las Vegas (I’m speaking), read my guide before you go, and know you can always walk from the airport if you want the exercise.

OK, what else you got?

Imagine this… you’ve spent weeks planning and organizing to attend and speak at the PubCon search/social media marketing conference. Moments before Brett Tabke is about to introduce you as the morning keynote speaker, you reach into your pocket to grab a breath mint, only to realize you’ve forgotten them in your other suit jacket. Not having a mint isn’t the end of the world, but still your mouth becomes suddenly dry, as you remember that suit jacket also holds the USB stick containing your slide presentation. Good thing you uploaded your talk to the PubCon website weeks ago, or did you?

PubCon Las Vegas Keynote Speakers

I don’t suspect you’d go as far as to forget your keynote presentation, but even the most savvy search engine optimization and social media professional has likely forgotten an item or two at home, that had they remembered, could have made their conference experience more enjoyable. If you asked them, they would likely share what they’ve learned with you, on how to get the most out an event like PubCon. Not only on what essentials to bring, but how to successfully go about meeting others. With that mindset, I created this guide as a resource for those attending PubCon, with the hope that your time networking, will be both productive and successful.

A few years back, I posted on 5 PubCon Badge Essentials, which included items such as business cards, vitamins and gum. While the name tags have changed, I’d still consider most of the items as essentials today. Packing plenty of chewing gum and/or breath mints is a great strategy. You won’t go wrong bringing enough to share with all the people you’ll meet.

Get to Registration Early – The obvious benefit is that you’ll avoid registration lines, but I’d like to share some of the non-obvious benefits as well. Early in the day is a great time to introduce yourself to conference organizers, say your thank you’s to those putting on the event (especially if you’re speaking), volunteer yourself should they require assistance, get first pickings at breakfast, and have time to plan your day. Also not so obvious is that keynote speakers are often times early and available (I have found this to be true in conferences across multiple industries), providing you an opportunity to introduce yourself before the crowds arrive.

Optimize Your Immune System – If you’re attending a PubCon event during cold and flu season, there is a strong likelihood you’re going to come in contact with plenty of people that have just gotten over a case of influenza, or are just beginning to show early symptoms of a common cold or flu.

Chances are you’re going to be out late, may likely not get enough sleep, and are going to be consuming more caffeinated and alcoholic beverages than you are accustomed to. Compounding that is the hotel/conference air-conditioning, changes in weather, airline travel, and the not so nutritious conference continental breakfast (sugar+carbs+fat).

Pretty much everyone’s immune system is going to be slightly compromised, so why not take the necessary steps to ensure the best outcome? If you’re wearing a jacket and layers, you can always remove something if the conference room gets too hot. If they’re pumping in the frigid A/C, and you’re not dressed for it, you’re off for a bad start.

Between the time you read this and conference time, the best thing you can do is get plenty of sleep, practice your best nutrition habits, increase your vitamin intake, keep your alcohol/caffeine consumption minimized, and do whatever you can to stay healthy.

With the airline travel, hopping in and out of cabs, and people you’ll be shaking hands with, washing your hands with soap and hot water goes a long way. Hand sanitizers are your second best option. Lots of us travel to conferences by plane, so we are restricted to the amounts of fluids we can carry, but quite a few local supermarkets and pharmacies carry 4 ounce or less sanitizers. It’s also not unlikely to find sanitation stations (antibacterial hand wipes) in both the conference center and the hotel lobby.

Perhaps you may think I’m a bit excessive on being healthy and staying healthy, but trust me, a week after PubCon, you don’t want to be in the group that’s tweeting about the post-conference plague. The week after the conference should be your most productive, and if you can avoid it, don’t sabotage your opportunities by getting sick.

Charge It! – This one is simple yet essential; plug in all your electronic devices before going to bed, and bring your phone/laptop charger to the event. Even if your device holds a charge all day, you could well be helping out a PubCon buddy that isn’t so fortunate. At PubCon (and after parties), smart phones and laptops are used heavily, so bring them along, and bring them fully charged.

Make Yourself Useful – This moves away from the what to remember to bring for yourself category and into the what you can do for others category. Extra breath mints, hand sanitizer, iPhone and Android chargers, power strips, and even WiFi cards, can make you a superstar amongst your friends (and those soon to be). If you live in the area and are going to be driving to PubCon, you can really take this opportunity to task.

If you live in the conference area, you may even consider using your own vehicle to get a few people to and from the conference center, since hotels aren’t always nearby. Build on that by offering a ride to after-hours events, and sometimes most importantly, getting people back to the hotel after hours. Obviously, if this is the case, you’ll want to stay sober. Nothing wrong with being a designated conference driver.

One of the non-obvious reasons this is also important, is that so many of us spend time communicating with each other online, but we spend little time face-to-face. Being a friend in the real world can go a long way in cementing relationships, which may result in your next big client opportunity, next new job in the field, or reciprocity at another event.

Taxi Please! – (aka put some reciprocity in the bank) If you’re from out of town and/or prefer to be drinking, you can still assist others in getting around (and get yourself there too). This next tip was also something I discovered while attending PubCon events.

Consider sharing a taxi as a great way to get a few minutes with someone you may want to know better, or a friend you want to catch up with. I’m not suggesting you stand around waiting for persons who you want to meet to arrive before grabbing a cab, but if the opportunity presents itself to grab a cab as a group, take it. My philosophy is the persons you got in the cab with are those who you want to meet anyways, so you can’t go wrong.

While heading to the hotel, conference center, or after-hours network event, attendees are going to introduce themselves. In a professional and polite way, make sure that everyone in the cab knows your name and what you do before you arrive at your destination. When the taxi arrives at the destination, pick up the cab fare. Most people are not going to forget that you did so.

Smile For The Camera – Being someone that’s taken lots of PubCon photos (2010 Las Vegas, 2010 Dallas, 2009 Las Vegas), I’m admittedly biased on this one, but I feel it’s too important not to skip.

Whether you are speaking at PubCon or simply attending, don’t be shy for the camera. Over the years, I’ve noticed many attendees transform from the T-shirt wearing webmaster crowd of the early 2000s, to well-dressed business professionals representing some of the largest and most successful SEO/Social Media firms the world now knows.

I have discovered (mostly by accident) that well taken, professional looking photos of PubCon speakers and attendees, are more likely to appear in blog posts, be used as twitter avatars and social media profile photos, and I’ve even seen them appear on the pages of CNN.

Rhea Drysdale (of Outspoken Media) and my PubCon photography on CNN

To those that have made use of my photography, many thanks for the links, which brings me to the next topic in this PubCon Guide…

Buy Drinks Not Links – The last time I checked, the head of Google’s Web Spam department, Matt Cutts, prefers drinking some sort of clear carbonated corn syrupy beverage (possibly referred to as Sprite), but he has also clearly stated that he prefers people don’t offer him gifts, so I wouldn’t present him mass bottles of soda and cookies.

Like Matt, not everyone drinks alcohol, but at search conferences we are not limited to alcohol, since plenty of people enjoy caffeinated beverages as well. Buying coffee drinks for conference goers might actually be a more affordable alternative for you, plus conference goers are more likely to be sober, and may actually remember that you bought them a drink.

Take for example Michael Gray, you’d make his day if you brought him a Pepsi Throwback or even Red Bull. Bring Kate Morris a Mint Mocha Creme Frappachino and watch her smile. For Carolyn Shelby, an Iced Venti 2 Sweet’N Low Americano, will brighten her day. BTW, all 3 are PubCon Speakers.

Be On Twitter – I almost forgot this tip, and it’s super important for PubCon goers. Typically, the hashtag used will be #pubcon, but check the official PubCon Conference Blog and listen to presenters for alternatives. I’ll be speaking on the panels… Real World Secrets of Local Search, State of Local Search, and Interactive Site Reviews : Local Targetting Focus. I’m on twitter frequently, and you can follow me @chiropractic.

See you at PubCon!

They did it again! From personal experience, and all the chatter I’ve been hearing online, PubCon Las Vegas 2010 was a rousing success. The 2010 Las Vegas Internet Conference had its highest attendance ever, with enthusiasts on Search, Social Media, Internet Marketing, and Website Operation, gathered together to discuss where we are, where we were, and where we are going in our increasingly connected world.

Sharing photos from PubCon (2010 PubCon South Dallas and 2009 PubCon Las Vegas) is becoming a regular thing for me, since getting my first DSLR camera in mid-1999. I am confirmed for 2011 Austin PubCon in March, which gives me excuse enough to buy a new lens before heading to Texas.

I selected a dozen photos from my Flickr PubCon 2010 photo set to share here, along with brief stories of the people pictured, and whatever came to mind while posting.

Let’s begin with Kate Morris and Joanna Lord. I’d call this photograph Double Goodness, because every time I see either one of these positive and motivating ladies, they always have smiles to share. They are both regular speakers at PubCon, as well as other search/marketing related conferences, and they are both active runners.

Up next we have Long Island’s favorite cooking SEO dad, Michael Gray ( a.k.a. graywolf). Being that I am from Long Island as well, I enjoy a lot of what Michael posts and says, it brings back childhood memories (like sharing photos from the Milleridge Inn). I enjoy seeing photos of what he’s conjuring up for dinner as much as I appreciate his rants and knowledge shared on search and affiliate marketing.

Here’s a nighttime shot featuring Heather Champion inside Gilley’s Country Bar at the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino. While not shown in the photo, Heather is bravely sitting atop a mechanical bull. There were so many different colored lights, and people’s movements were so fast, I found it difficult shooting without a flash in the room. Glad to have gotten at least a few clear photos to capture the event.

True story, I didn’t realize these three gentlemen were bald until after one of them mentioned it, and I had been sitting at the table with them for nearly half an hour. From left to right and in no particular order of awesomeness are Steve Boymel, Alan K’necht (author of The Last Original Idea), and Marty Weintraub of aimClear consulting services. Steve Boymel is someone I see at nearly every search conference I attend, he is hopefully enjoying a post PubCon trout fishing trip right about now. Alan is quite active in my twitter stream, and I like that, as I get most of my information on search from my tweeting friends. I’m glad to see Marty at conferences and equally glad he doesn’t live next door as his energy would drive me crazy. That being said, the crazy ones tend to bring out the best ideas in me.

If you walked through the exhibit area, you likely saw Efren Toscano, cofounder of TechZulu. Efren, along with others on his team, works incredibly hard at getting the latest tech and media information posted online. Word is Efren chooses his Las Vegas hotels based on quality of their fitness centers and whose open the most hours. He keeps the tech community up to date and keeps himself physically fit, it’s a winning combination.

Another East Coast resident I have great admiration for, Michael Streko of knowem fame. Streko typically speaks on competitive intelligence and need-to-know activity within ones industry. From what I’ve experienced so far in knowing Michael, I’ve found he works hard, plays harder, and enjoys life to the fullest.

From the city of Austin, Texas we have Vanessa Zamora, Video Content Producer at WebmasterWorld. She is part of the awesome PubCon staff that works hard in seeing that we all enjoy ourselves. She’s probably smiling at the idea that 2011 PubCon South is nearby, making it an easy commute.

Some photos just happen to turn out great, and this one featuring Matt Siltala, was one of the most popular and most retweeted during the PubCon Las Vegas week. With comments like “fear the beard” and mentions of birds perhaps nesting in there, the image got some circulation. A diehard Arizona Cardinals fan, Matt is one of my NFL buddies on twitter, sharing thoughts on the victories and upsets of America’s greatest sport.

No PubCon conference is complete without the ladies from Outspoken Media. From left to right we have Senior Account Manager Dawn Wentzell, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer Rhea Drysdale (and SEO Industry Hero), and Co-Founder and Chief Branding Officer Lisa Barone. Another Long Islander, Lisa was one of the first people in the SEO industry to give me a link, putting her high on my list of favorite people.

Former fellow rockstar of Hollywood’s Sunset Strip, Greg Boser still rocks people at search conferences throughout the world. While I won’t put it into words, Greg said something regarding Google (a philosophy if you will) that resonated with me, and earned him even more respect for me than he had before. It’s the number one thing I took home from sin city, and I hope to keep it on the forefront of my thinking, as we move forward on search in 2011.

While visiting the BlueGlass exhibit booth, I was able to snap this photo of BlueGlass staff with Chief Marketing Officer Chris Winfield. Among all his other talents, Chris is a master of MTH (Making Things Happen), he is also the reason behind my chiropractic office being featured in USA Today.

The fact that I was up early enough to take photos before Wednesday morning’s keynote session was impressive enough for me. I was even happier that the images in the darkened room came out with some clarity, my lens and mind enlightened by the session, which was moderated by Melanie Mitchell. From left to right we have fellow rock ‘n roll lover Brian Clark of copyblogger fame, Chris Brogan (who was the first person to say hello when I arrived at PubCon, cementing the fact that you can’t go wrong being a welcoming person in the community), Melanie Mitchell, Scott Stratton, and Sarah Evans (who just got added to my twitter stream).

That’s my select 12 photographs from PubCon Las Vegas 2010, feel free to browse the entire set if you wish. Many thanks to those who permitted me to take their photographs, thank you to the friends and good times in Las Vegas, thank you to the new people I met (I look forward to seeing you at future events), thanks to the photo related tweets and retweets, and most of all thanks to PubCon, I had a blast!

SearchFest 2010 took place on Tuesday, March 9th, at the Governor Hotel in downtown Portland Oregon. The event was put on by the Search Engine Marketing Professionals of Portland (SEMpdx).

The Governor Hotel was fantastic, I loved the old style architecture, the classic Jake’s Grill on the first floor, and the full-sized Starbucks in the lobby. I made Monday a very productive day, utilizing the hotel’s free WiFi, and sitting nearby the fireplace in a comfortable lobby setting.

I took far less photographs than I had anticipated, mostly because I was focused on soaking up new knowledge from some of my favorite people in search, but partly also because of the large sized rooms, and my comfort sitting in the back. I did manage to take around a dozen photos, but you likely wouldn’t be able to recognize the people in them, since I found my lens pointing more to the architecture. Here are six photographs I particularly liked.

SearchFest 2010 Keynote Speaker: Stefan Weitz, Director of Bing

This was one of the first photos I took. Stefan Weitz, Director of Bing, delivered the morning keynote inside a huge ballroom located on the fourth floor. From the outside the hotel didn’t even appear that it could house a room this large. Throughout the day I found myself daydreaming about the spectacular events that must have taken place in this room during the past century. Its history now includes SearchFest 2010.

John Andrews of Upper Left Placement

The above photo was taken during a presentation by Seattle SEO John Andrews of Upper Left Placement. If you didn’t get a chance to hear his talk, see if you can get a copy of his PowerPoint presentation, and maybe invite him out for some fine wine and a meal the next time you see him. John’s presentation alone was worth the trip I made to Portland from Los Angeles.

In the photograph, you may notice there are animals adorning the upper parts of the walls, near the ceiling. They appeared to be some sort of lion or jaguar and I love how their tails were encircled.

Marty Weintraub of aimClear Search Marketing

I like this pic I took of Marty Weintraub (aimclear on twitter) because it 1) shows Marty in his “always working” posture, and 2) shows the second floor hallway in the Gov. Hotel. It’s an image of modern day man, working with the latest tools and technology, surrounded by architecture of a century ago.

Jordan Kasteler of Search and Social (aka Man with MacBook)

It was difficult for me to capture the sheer size of the room, I would have brought along a wide-angle lens had I realized there’d been such an opportunity. The above photo, contrasting Jordan Kasteler of Search and Social to a ginormous pillar, provides a look at how high the ceilings really were. Jordan was speaking on the Tools & Competitive Intelligence track.

Man of Fidelity – Neil Patel

You likely can’t see it in this 500 pixel wide photograph (larger version can be viewed here), but the walls inside the ballroom were engraved with inscriptions, featuring key words like Charity and Fidelity. As Neil Patel (neilpatel on twitter) was approaching the stage to speak, I took this photo, showing how small we are in comparison to the principles we work to uphold.

2nd Floor Hallway – Governor Hotel – Portland Oregon

Lastly, a photograph of the 2nd floor hallway inside the Gov. Hotel. Most of us were busy moving about to the different session rooms throughout the day, and we may not have had a chance to pause and soak in the beauty of this fine hotel. This is probably my favorite picture from this set, makes me want to go back and shoot more photos with a wide-angle lens. Perhaps I’ll get my chance with SearchFest 2011.