Well this is it, the final strategy in our series on “Analog” SEO strategies.  Strategy #5 not only puts you in the drivers seat as an authority in your industry, it also paves the way to create backlinking opportunities and natural traffic.  ASEO strategy #5 is .

Create an Industry Conference

This strategy is not for the faint of heart but it is a powerful way to gain “social proof” with your customers as a leader in your sector but if you play your cards right it will also drive links and traffic to your site.  Now creating your own conference is very daunting and may not be possible for you if you don’t have the connections or resources. However if you can accomplish this feat it will be a valuable tool you can use for ASEO. So where can you start?

How to start your own conference

To get a conference off the ground you will need to get in touch with everyone you can who may be interested in attending your conference.  You will first need to establish a committee to get started planning the event.  give yourself at least 6-8 months to plan.  The next thing you will need is money.  I would say you will need to drum up at least $1500-2000 in seed money to start.  You can do this by calling potential sponsors who would be interested in helping with the conference for the same reasons you want to create it in the first place.  Another idea would be to try to raise some seed money using a crowdfunding site and then promote the crowdfunding project it to others in your industry using LinkedIn and other Social Media.  Also at first don’t make the attendance fee to exorbitant.  Remember these things need to start small before they can really take off on an annual basis so focus on driving attendance and providing valuable information before you start handing out “gift baskets” and hiring “the B-52’s” to provide dinner entertainment.

Get a room

Next you will need to find a venue.  If you ask around there may be tonnes of great affordable venues you have never heard of.  One tip I can give you is to ask wedding planners or wedding photographers.  They usually know every venue in the city and if you buy them a cup of coffee or take them to lunch they can give you some great advice regarding local venues.

Promote, advertise, tweet, post, network and then promote some more!

I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but this strategy will never succeed unless you promote the stink out of it! But believe me its worth it.  If your website is the primary host of all things to do with this conference then all the other representatives will be backlinking to your site as they talk about it and promote it on their websites and social media.  Also I would suggest creating an appealing  “badge” graphic that delegates can show on their websites indicating that they will be attending or sponsoring the event that also links back to your site. Your website will essentially become the “hub” for the conference so you will be getting a boost in traffic as people look to your site for information regarding the event.  

Provide great value

The next step is to try to line up some amazing speakers in your industry. If you’re going to spend your budget somewhere this should be your highest priority.  If people attend your conference and they come away feeling like they genuinely learned something that excited them and brought real value to their business then they will be more than happy to attend it again in the future. Plus they will sing its praises to others.

While feeding the mind don’t forget the belly

Everyone loves food!  If you feed people well they will have great memories. If you can’t afford expensive catering then hit Costco for food  and rent basic catering equipment. Just because you can’t give them 5 star gourmet doesn’t mean you still can’t provide a nice spread that makes people happy and provides a lasting impression.  If they remember nothing else they will still remember a great meal.  

Learn to delegate

If you try to micromanage you will quickly find that you will not only start to burn out but you won’t be able to put on a very good event. If you’re not good with people or delegating then simply find one capable person you trust and delegate the management to them and let them look after all the delegating. If you have a good budget you can also hire a pro event planner. Believe me, its worth it.  

Get feedback

Don’t ever forget the value of feedback. If possible have attendees visit your website to fill out a short form about how to make the conference better and what they would like to have next time. Not only does this give you valuable information but (you guessed it) it drives more traffic to your website!

Try it!

I know this all may sound a bit overwhelming but you don’t have to start out big.  Your first conference could be a simple one day affair with 50 people in a $350 room rental with lunch coffee and tea provided via Costco.  If used correctly you will not only boost traffic to your site, but your conference may grow into a major event that provides not only amazing networking opportunities but will boost the view of your brand as a major player in your industry.

I hope you enjoyed this series on what I like to call “Analog” SEO (ASEO).  We will be posting in greater detail on the strategies discussed here in the future. So be sure to  sign up for free updates by clicking the button below!