Becoming a member of Bristol Creative Industries brings many benefits. We regularly add new opportunities so here is a guide to the latest benefits you can enjoy by signing up. This post is regularly updated.
Showcase your best work and attract new clients with a company profile in the Bristol Creative Industries member directory. The directory receives lots of visits every month from people looking for services from creative businesses.
Self-publish content
Got some business advice or news to share? As a Bristol Creative Industries member you can self-publish content on our website and it will automatically appear on your member profile. We upgrade great content to the newsfeed and homepage, while four posts by members are included in our monthly email newsletter.
Bristol Creative Industries member Jessica Morgan from Carnsight Communications discussed the benefits of posting content in this interview.
Advertise jobs on the BCI jobs board
The Bristol Creative Industries jobs board attracts thousands of job hunters every month. As part of your membership, you can post unlimited free job adverts, saving you on average £3,500 per candidate.
Piers Tincknell, co-founder of Atomic Smash, is one of BCI’s longest serving members and he told us in a member profile interview how he regularly uses the jobs board to recruit new employees.
Attend members’ lunches
BCI’s monthly members’ lunches are a perfect opportunity for members to catch up with fellow members and the BCI team.
Everyone has a slot of up to three minutes to tell the others a little about who they are and what they do and share any news and/or challenges. You don’t need to fill the full three minutes. We usually find some common themes emerge to discuss over the course of the session. It’s all very informal with no need to stand up and present slides.
The events are free to attend for members. They are a mix of in person and virtual events. The in person sessions are at The Square Club in Bristol and include a free buffet lunch.
Discounts for keynotes, workshops and other events
Our flagship keynote events and workshops feature world class speakers sharing their expertise. It’s a unique opportunity to access valuable insights for growing your business. Bristol Creative Industries members receive a ticket discount.
— Bristol Creative Industries (@Bristol_CI) June 21, 2023
Attend and host Wake Up Call
Wake Up Call is a member exclusive live webinar that takes place every other Friday at 8.30-9am. The content is delivered by members for members.
Attending the free event gives you access to valuable insights from your fellow members and if you host a Wake Up Call, you can share your expertise and attract potential new clients.
See details for upcoming Wake Up Call events in our events section.
If you’re a BCI member and you’d liked to deliver a presentation on a topic of your choice during Wake Up Call, email Sian Pitman.
Equity, diversity and inclusion training
Research shows that diverse teams are more creative problem solvers, bringing fresh perspectives to solutions, against the echo-chamber effect that results when people in a business come from too-similar backgrounds. With a strong focus on diversity and inclusion, employees feel valued and that they belong.
To help Bristol Creative Industries members achieve this, we have partnered with The Hobbs Consultancy to provide on demand equity, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) e-learning.
The CPD certified online course consists of modules to help you bring about positive change in your business, understand the key challenges in the way for different groups, and explore your own biases and how to overcome them. The training modules take an in-depth look at different diversity and inclusion topics: race, disability, LGBTQ+, neurodiversity, gender (split into female leadership, masculinity, gender identity), age and social mobility in the workplace.
The price of the training for BCI members is £120+VAT. All profits will be ploughed back into our youth engagement activity.
To access this brilliant training opportunity, log into your Bristol Creative Industries account and click on the ‘members’ training’ section.
Opportunity to mentor high potential young people
We have to start engagement at school by raising the profile of the creative sector to a wider and more diverse audience. To do this, we’re developing ways to bring together creative business members and future talent through mentoring.
We are thrilled to have launched a partnership with The Early Careers Foundation (ECF), a social mobility charity that works with young people from low-income backgrounds to ensure that talent and hard work are what determine their career success, not background.
Through its mentoring programme, ECF pairs employees from partner organisations with 16-18-year-olds for monthly hour-long mentoring sessions.
Thanks to our new partnership, BCI members can now become a mentor and support a young person in building their confidence, developing their employability skills and offering invaluable professional guidance.
Applications to become a mentor close on 1 August 2024.
To find out more about how you can get involved, read this post.
Join outdoor networking events
The regular BCI Walk & Talk networking sessions are for a group of 12 BCI members who don their walking boots and explore the stunning countryside around Bristol and Bath.
It’s a great opportunity for members to make some new connections whilst getting some much needed fresh air!
We host regular roundtables for agency leaders to discuss strategic challenges. These events are vital for us to hear from the member community about the key issues you are facing and how we can help. A roundtable on funding led to us creating this popular and regularly updated guide to the latest finance on offer to creative businesses.
If you are interested in getting involved with future roundtables, email Sian Pitman.
Discounts on workspace, hotels and more
Reductions on co-working spaces, meeting rooms, hotel accommodation, a recruitment strategy review and a coffee subscription are just some of the many discounts and offers we’ve negotiated for members.
If you have any questions about membership, email Alli Nicholas
Noble Deeds charity competition to launch at ‘Be Better Bristol’ event
4th June, 2024, Bristol-based digital marketing agency Noble Performs has announced it will be launching this year’s Noble Deeds competition for Southwest charities and not-for-profits at its ‘Be Better Bristol’ event on 27th June at St Georges concert hall.
Now in it’s third year, the Noble Deeds initiative provides one local charity with pro bono digital performance marketing support for a six-month period and is opened every June as a competition which regional not-for-profits can enter. The prize fund increases each year in line with Noble Performs’ turnover growth and will stand at £25,000 for this years’ winners.
This year, the launch of Noble Deeds is being marked by a ‘Be Better Bristol’ event, which will see the local business and not-for-profit community come together for the evening to discuss how to do better and be better across the city for mutual benefit.
Designed to inspire new connections and collaborations, speakers include Nick Sturge from TechSpark, Mark Flower, CEO of Age UK South Gloucestershire and Caroline Amran from Babassa, which helps young people from less advantaged communities into work and education.
“We’re super excited to be launching our Noble Deeds charity competition at this year’s Be Better Bristol event. Our business is all about being better and doing better and making meaningful connections, which is why we chose to launch our business in Bristol in 2018. The city has a real sense of community and collaboration which is such a fit with our ethos and we’re always looking for ways to bring people together to share ideas for inspiration and innovation, said Kate Sikora, managing director, Noble UK.
“On that note, we’d love any interested local charities and not-for-profits who’d like to come along to our Be Better Bristol event on the 27th June to get in touch. As well as entering our Noble Deeds competition for pro bono digital marketing support, the evening will be a great opportunity to network with local businesses and community members,” she added.
Past winners of the Noble Deeds programme include Heart of BS13, a south Bristol social enterprise which supports people living in Hartcliffe, and Emmaus Bristol, which helps people out of homelessness and poverty (pictured).
Noble Performs Bristol hopes to replicate the impact of its US parent company as its UK business grows. Noble’s Nevada Deeds programme has been running for nearly 15 years and donates over US$200,000 to charitable causes each year.
Open to all Southwest based registered charities and not-for-profits who wish to enter themselves as potential recipients, the Noble Deeds support package up for grabs includes upskilling of the existing marketing team ensuring a long-lasting impact for the winning organisation.
To enter, registered charities or not-for-profits must be Southwest based and complete a simple application form, which will be live on the Noble Performs website from Friday 28th June until Friday 12th July.
The entries will be judged by a panel made up of an internal committee of the UK Noble team, with the winner selected by the end of July 2024.
The Bristol-based charity that wins a place on the programme will secure a package of digital marketing support and skills training tailored to suit its specific needs, however this could include; SEO, PPC, Analytics and Paid Social. The package of support is anticipated to run from September 2024 to February 2025 depending on specific requirements.
To register your interest to attend the Be Better Bristol event on the 27th June please contact event organiser: [email protected]
Since 2019, Square Works has become the byword for luxurious serviced offices and co-working in Bristol. We started with the aim of building a community where professionals could work, network, relax and socialise in an environment that offered the very best – from an exciting events calendar to a light and airy workspace that members can truly enjoy.
Situated on the beautiful Berkeley Square, a ten-minute walk from the city centre, Square Works is spacious, airy and filled with contemporary art and natural light. This unique workspace is spread across three elegant Georgian townhouses, with a range of conference and meeting rooms, communal spaces, kitchens and a fitness suite.
As a BCI member you can get 10% off memberships and meeting rooms at Square Works, contact our reception at [email protected] to take advantage of this offer.
Make Exhibition from Towards Change!
Our Mission
Our project aims to reconsider and challenge how stereotypes are portrayed in advertising using a civic engaging approach. Civic insights could transform the advertising landscape and bring about meaningful change by creating tangible alternative ideas!
“Towards Change”, invites the civic community to creatively confront and transform the advertising industry. By collectively reimagining banned adverts, we foster an inclusive platform for diverse voices, breaking away from the advertising industry’s exclusivity. This movement embodies the spirit of change through creativity, welcoming all to contribute to a more ethical advertising world.
What We’re Doing
We’ve selected 20 controversial adverts for their problematic content to undergo a creative transformation. Through a series of workshops engaging the community and future creatives, we dissect these adverts, discuss their impacts, and collaboratively reimagine them to convey positive messages.
Reimagined and twisted advertisings from civic workshop
Why it is important
Every day, we’re bombarded with advertisements that, often subconsciously, propagate stereotypes and outdated societal norms. These portrayals can have a profound impact on our perceptions, behaviours, and the social fabric at large. Our project aims to challenge these narratives, providing alternative, stereotype-free adverts that reflect a more inclusive society.
What’s On
The culmination of our efforts will be an exhibition showcasing both the original and reimagined adverts, offering a stark visual dialogue on the power of advertising for social change
This exhibition is an educational journey that unravels the impact of stereotypes in advertising and celebrates the innovative solutions born from our workshops. Immerse yourself in a curated showcase of original and reimagined advertisements, highlighting the journey from controversial to inclusive messaging.
Speaker Session (18:00 – 19:00)
Speakers:
creative professionals
experts in marketing, advertising, and media
academic professors in gender and communications
This talk is particularly relevant for people working in marketing, PR, advertising, digital, and those in the creative industries who are looking to gain a deeper understanding of the inclusive communication landscape.
Networking Event(19:00 – 20:00)
For Students at University of Bristol:
There will be a chance to hear from guest speakers and an opportunity to network with creative and media experts. If you are taking part in the University of Bristol PLUS Award, then this networking session will count as one of your careers and employability workshops!
Join us in championing creativity, social responsibility, and transformative civic participation with an exhibition that marks a pivotal moment in advertising.
How You Can Help
Your financial contributions will breathe life into this ambitious project, covering the costs of hosting the exhibition, organising the speaker session, and facilitating the networking event.
Our supporters
By supporting us, you’re not just funding an event; you’re investing in the future of ethical advertising and empowering a community committed to diversity and inclusion.
Whether you’re seeking a career in the creative, communication, or media industries, a professional looking to explore innovative advertising solutions, or a civic-minded individual passionate about art and social issues, your support can make a significant difference.
Help us turn “Towards Change! Rethinking Representation in Advertising” from a vision into a reality. Together, we can inspire change and pave the way for a more inclusive and responsible advertising industry.
Our Team
Who are we? We are a Bristol based team consisting of international students and marketers, united by a shared passion for fostering a more inclusive world through advertising. Rooted in diverse backgrounds and cultures, our collective journey at the University of Bristol has been enriched by the guidance of esteemed academic professors, the supportive partnerships, and the collaborative spirit of various social sectors. Check out our website here to find out more!
Project Director
Hi, I’m Rika, I am project director to launch this to a more inclusive advertising world. I have launched this DE&I project with my scholarship-awarded ambitions friend of mine, aimed at generating alternative creative strategies for banned advertisements through civic engagement as the pivotal moment of my advertising career.
With a rich background in analyzing and consulting on over 100 global campaigns, my work at WPP group was a turning point, deepening my dedication to diversity and ethical advertising.
My journey doesn’t stop in the corporate world; I’m equally passionate about educating the next generation. As a freelance lecturer and a voice in the academic sphere, I’ve shared my expertise internationally, fostering a community of over 5,000 on social media.
Let’s embark on this journey together to reshape advertising. Make the exhibition real for a glimpse into the future of advertising, led by insights, ethics, and innovation.
🌸Towards Change Exhibition for Inclusive Advertising🌸
We are thrilled to announce a showcase of civic powers to transform advertising content from controversial to inclusive messaging from our workshops we’ve conducted to the public every week.
See the fusion of social, academic, and advertising industry unravels the impact of stereotypes in advertising and provide a platform for dialogue, learning, and change.
This exhibition is proudly sponsored by Launch, a Google Premier Partner and two-time winner of Europe’s Best Small PPC Agency. Thanks to their generous support, admission is free, making it accessible to everyone interested in exploring this transformative display.
🌸Speaker Session (18:00 – 19:00) Carol Watson, Chief Inclusion Officer at BCW ( Global Agency) Dan Srokosz, Creative Director, AgencyUK Megan Gibson, Paid Media Director, AgencyUK
Dr. Junko Yamashita, Professor at the University of Bristol
Ms. Samantha Ford, Marketing lecturer at the University of Bristol
As a collaboration between Wasabi and mustard jobs, the ground floor of Bristol’s historic Tramshed building will now be open for desk space hire.
Being a stone’s throw from notable Bristol landmarks like the Bristol Beacon, the Christmas Steps and the Hippodrome, this office is perfectly placed for any freelancers, start-ups and small businesses looking to take that next step. The collaborative duo hope that the space will become a bustling creative hub offering opportunities to new businesses.
The recently renovated office boasts an array of facilities including:
FREE tea and coffee
Kitchen and lunch area
Refreshing showers for that morning run or post-lunch workout.
State-of-the-art meeting rooms to seal the deal or brainstorm your next big idea.
A presentation space that’s begging for your innovative pitch or creative showcase.
Bicycle Storage
Free Wi-Fi
Flexible pricing depending on your needs and use of the space.
You can check out virtual gallery of the office here.
Interested in viewing the space in person? Reach out to the team: [email protected]
As 2024 begins, Bristol Creative Industries co-chairs Lis Anderson and Heather Wright set out their vision and plans for the next 12 months.
Our unwavering commitment to driving value for Bristol Creative Industries members remains our top priority. We will persist in creating opportunities for our community to learn, connect and grow their businesses. Simultaneously we are dedicated to amplifying our influence within the city and nationally advocating for the views and the needs of our local creative industries.
Events, networking and learning
The highly successful programme of in-person keynote events from industry figures will continue to be a catalyst for inspiring new thinking and encouraging reflection and evolution for business growth.
We encourage leaders to bring their wider teams to these events, which may otherwise be out of reach for smaller organisations. We also aim to diversify our line-up of speakers to represent the broader spectrum of creative industries.
Freelancers constantly say how much they love the networking events and the freelancer drinks at the Square Club in Bristol have grown from strength to strength. We’ll be running more of these events in 2024 on 6 February, 23 April, 11 June, 10 September and 19 November.
Member lunches, recognised for fostering valuable real-world partnerships, will continue due to the positive feedback and opportunities they generate.
Building on the success of the Bristol Creative Industries Internship Programme pilot in 2023, we’re leveraging the insights gained to make it even better this year year, with enhanced experiences and outcomes for both interns and employers.
2024 will also see BCI working more closely with education providers across the region to grow the creative talent pipeline for our members. We’ll be raising awareness of career opportunities in our sector, facilitating mentorships and feeding into course materials.
Film and TV
As we continue to grow, we’re keen to attract new members from the film and TV industry. With strategic partnerships formed with Bottleyard Studios and Bristol Film Office, we aim to connect our members with the many new opportunities arising from the many high end TV productions coming to the city.
New board members
To achieve our ambitious goals, we’re actively seeking new Board members. Find full details here as we look to welcome individuals who share our passion for Bristol’s creative industries.
We wish you all a very happy New Year and look forward to supporting and celebrating creative businesses throughout 2024 and beyond.
If you’re not yet a Bristol Creative Industries member, join here. We’d love to welcome you in 2024.
Tabb to open a unique shared creative space on Broadmead.
Tabb, the Bristol-based portfolio and team-forming platform for filmmakers, is excited to announce the opening of a new coworking and creative space in Bristol City Centre.
Located on the second floor of Sparks Bristol, the sustainable department store that opened in May of this year, the Tabb team’s goal for the space is to significantly increase their ability to support Bristol’s independent filmmakers and creative freelancers and to help them benefit from the city’s fast-growing film and creative industry.
At launch, the creative hub will accommodate 50 permanent residents and 30 flexible hotdesks in a space that, for the previous 70 years, served as an office and breakroom for the staff at Marks & Spencer. Tabb has plans to incorporate a permanent film and photographic studio later in the year and hopes that this is just the start of their work in offering further physical services to help its community make their projects happen.
With consultation from low-carbon, innovative design and construction firm Agile Homes, the ‘Tabb Hub’ will use recycled and custom furniture to create unique and purpose-built spaces for its residents and community, including Bristol Production Van, Foxy Motion Films, Barri Films and FishPunch.
The hub is open to enquiries and reservations from filmmakers and connected creative disciplines, whether individuals or teams, with flexibility regarding how residents can organise and set up the space.
Known as ‘Cahootify’ until December last year, Tabb’s collaborative platform for independent filmmakers, producers and actors has gone from strength to strength. With regular events, festivals and screenings aiming to unite and empower South West filmmakers, Tabb’s community has grown to 8,000 members. Rising stars and established professionals, such as Keith Wilhelm-Kopp, who recently released their debut feature film, Translations (2023), have added over 10,000 short films, animations, trailers and music videos to the platform, with many by teams that found each other through the Tabb opportunities and events.
Sparks Bristol, a world-first project co-created by Global Goals Centre and ArtSpace LifeSpace, offers various indoor independent stalls and shops, from fashion and food to nature and energy, supporting people to make money-saving choices on climate, equality and wellbeing. Sparks Project Manager John Hosken said, “We are delighted that the collaborative and empowering Tabb organisation has taken the space – creating so much opportunity for both organisations.”
Tabb CEO Pete Francomb, said: “We’re thrilled to offer this exciting new space to Bristol filmmakers. The forward-thinking Sparks ethos matches Tabb’s commitment to supporting and enabling creatives. Tabb Hub is a perfect and logical move for the organisation and the community.”
Tabb expects the hub to fill quickly due to the hub’s prime central location and high demand for flexible and multi-use creative spaces.
Bristol Academy of Voice Acting (BRAVA), is thrilled to announce the appointment of Fern Dunn as social media and community manager, who joins from globally renowned British animation studio, Aardman.
Fern is a communications specialist with nearly a decade of experience working across the creative industries in Bristol, including the independent multi-arts venue and cinema, Watershed. With a degree in Graphic Design and an MA in Curating from UWE, Bristol, Fern has a passion for all things communications – from social media to web design, to copywriting and print design.
Fern brings her wealth of communications and social media knowledge to the BRAVA team to continue to help them realise their growth ambitions.
She also runs the Cary Comes Home Festival, a biannual film festival that celebrates the Bristol roots of the iconic Hollywood star, Cary Grant. Fern has hosted events at the Hippodrome, Trinity Centre and St Mary Redcliffe Church – and even Hannover, Germany, bringing the magic of vintage cinema to all.
Fern Dunn said: “The voiceover world is fascinating, full of talented people and amazing stories. I can’t wait to delve in and start creating content to showcase BRAVA and the breadth of work of its Talent.”
Melissa Thom, Founder and CEO of BRAVA said: “It’s brilliant to have Fern on board, she has fantastic creative skills across a multitude of areas. She will drive the strategy and implementation for our social channels, ensuring our community of professional voice actors is targeted with relevant and inspirational content.”
BRAVA offers personalised training in the art and business of voiceover and is aimed at professionals who are interested in adding voice acting to their skillset or for those who wish to work on voice, impact and presence in the workplace and beyond.
About BRAVA
Founded by experienced voice actor and communications consultant, Melissa Thom, BRAVA brings together acting and voice experts from the UK & US to deliver best in class training and advice about the industry.
At BRAVA, all learning is done online, meaning students can learn at their own pace, wherever they are. Training is offered as personalised 1-1’s or group sessions and covers a wide range of topics, including Getting Started in VO, Corporate, Commercial and Narration, Characters, Audiobooks, Performance Techniques, Home Studio, Marketing, Vocal Health, VO & Shakespeare, Voice, Presence, Impact, Presentation Skills and more.
Team Varn was pleased to be attending Brighton SEO this year, one of the biggest search conferences in the world. It was a great opportunity to learn new ways we can do our jobs better, as well as keep up to date on new trends in our industry that we can take forward in our client work.
We were very proud of our MD Tom Vaughton, who took to the main auditorium 1 this year to share a talk on ‘How & why the history of SEO will help us plan for the future of search’. You can see Tom’s slides here.
Tom shared what 24 years of up and downs, success and failures in SEO has taught him about what we need to focus on for the next decade if we want to be successful as agencies and for inhouse SEO. Tom set the scene of why it’s vital to look back at the past to help us plan for the future and shared an insightful quote by Jeff Bezos:
“I very frequently get the question ‘What’s going to change in the next 10 years?’ I almost never get the question ‘What’s not going to change in the next 10 years?‘
Tom highlighted to the Brighton SEO audience that he has identified 8 principles of effective long term SEO that he believes will not change and we need to be aware of these constants…
The point of search engines was to make information easy to find – that’s still the same today
Over time you WILL make more profit with organic search over paid.
Relevant high quality content still rules.
Always align with Google’s roadmap. Don’t try to trick it – you won’t be able to.
There is no silver bullet.
Never stop learning.
Link building is irrelevant unless you build your brand. Work on building a brand for the long term with your clients.
Understand your competition and ensure you are monitoring them closely as if you don’t stay ahead your competition will win.
Tom also noted six trends that he is keeping an eye on that will impact the world of SEO in the near future…
Predictive SEO analytics. Big data & AI algorithms will be increasingly important and if you don’t have a specialist analytics team then build one.
AI & machine learning. AI will be disruptive but not fatal – it’s about strategy, and how to use it.
Ways of searching are always changing. Having multiple ways to search means your content needs to be good and in multiple formats.
Local SEO. With the rise of mobile devices and local search queries, local SEO will become increasingly important for businesses with a physical location.
Search engines are becoming more personalised. Quality content and a brand identity will play a vital role to help you stand out in the SERPs.
How Google understands content..Keep an eye on Google evolving it’s understanding and how that impacts how you write content and structure your website
Tom ended by noting that SEO may suffer from imposter syndrome, but actually search is very much here to stay, so always plan for the long term…
“in the early 2000’s people said SEO was a fad, a dark art and wouldn’t last. It seems a lot of the time we still treat it in the same short-term way. Like imposter syndrome it seems that as an industry we subconsciously worry that we may get found out. When in fact search optimisation, in whatever form, is here to stay and people that fake it or don’t plan ahead won’t be around in 10 years.So whether you work in ecommerce, healthcare or B2b be proud of what you do, be confident and plan for the long term. Please go set those big hairy audacious goals.”
Keep on reading to explore some of the key takeaways from a selection of the brilliant talks we heard this year.
Katy Powell – Ideation: Thinking beyond the first idea
During this talk Katy shared tips on how to up your game in Digital PR campaigns and create reactive PR stories. She focused on the idea of thinking bigger and better to grab the spotlight in crowded industries.
Key takeaways:
It’s important to spend time on the ideation process and look at what the consumers will want to read. Do more than one ideation session, and use popular industry apps like TikTok to look at what people are searching for.
Creating an ideation graph can be great for brainstorming potential ideas for Digital PR. You can mention off-brand and on-brand on one axis, and low press interest vs. high press interest on another. The graph could be useful for the idea analysis stage of ideation and can be presentable to a client.
Andrei Tit – 10 quick wins to improve your rankings (using Ahrefs)
Andrei spoke about 10 low-hanging fruits of SEO use cases that enable you to increase your rankings, via Ahrefs.
Key Takeaway:
If you look up a search query you want to target a featured snippet for, using a minus search operation (-example.com) for the top-ranking site can help you understand who the next eligible competitor is and the kind of content that is pulling through. This can help you better target content for a client and better understand what will likely pull through to a featured snippet.
Andrew Holland – The new SEO metric that makes SEO 10 x more valuable (and 10 x more effective)
In this talk, Andrew presented a new SEO reporting metric called “Share of Search”. This metric changes the approach and places SEO at the centre of all marketing.
Key Takeaway:
‘Share of Search’ is a useful metric to track for clients instead of ROI as it won’t be impacted by market forces. Share of Search both gives a more accountable impression of the impact of search engine optimisation, as well as actively helping to inform and improve SEO strategies.
Azahara Corrales – Unlock the power of AI: harness AI to create your winning marketing strategy
Azahara explored the immense potential that AI can have in a winning marketing strategy.
Key Takeaways:
The power of AI saves time, use it to test and find the right data.
Invest in people and invest in training.
Feed the right data to the algorithm.
Michel van Luijtelaar – Apple, Bing & Google platforms for multi-location local SEO Optimisation
In this talk, Michel explained the latest local SEO strategies with a focus on the latest developments in ABC and Bing.
Key takeaways:
Assess how many reviews local competitors have and target more than that. This is a strategic way to get enough reviews to rank higher than the local competitor.
6/10 business listings are not claimed on Apple Business Connect (ABC), and 59% of businesses are not aware of its features.
ABC is showing strong growth. Most of the impressions come from Apple Maps.
Use Google My Business for a keyword list – what are your potential customers searching for?
Ellie spoke about how to measure SEO sustainably and why it matters. She covered Google’s commitment to sustainability, and the rising interest of consumers and financial markets in this area and gave actionable insights on how to create a more sustainable website.
Key Takeaways:
ChatGPT already emits 8 tonnes of carbon p/y, and uses 700,000 litres of water. Every chat is 20 bottles of water.
Good SEO equates to a sustainable website – there is a lot of commonality in aims. For example, more efficient page loading and fewer pages per user to get to the information they need.
Meg Sharma – Level up your content by REALLY knowing your audience
Meg discussed how you can really level up your content strategy by going beyond keyword research tools to find content ideas, and really understand your audience and the topics they are interested in.
Key takeaways:
Explore your market on Reddit to see what the community is talking about and how they are talking to each other.
See what questions are being asked in Reddit – they’re asking in a niche community so these are the questions that aren’t being answered when they search in Google.
Aleyda Solis – Embracing AI in SEO: how to 10x your SEO leveraging AI bots
In this talk, Solis explores a variety of practical methods you can use in SEO. This ranged from conducting keyword research and competitor analysis to performing audits and generating reports.
Key Takeaways:
A balanced approach is needed with AI. Don’t assume these tools are always correct, ensure you properly fact check.
The prompts we use are critical to gaining rich outputs, e.g. ensure you use prompts like ‘without copying’ and compare your content with the Google Helpful Guidelines.
Margaret explored what content tends to go viral and what content rarely does. She focused primarily on TikTok but also touched on other relevant platforms including the up-and-coming platform Lemon8.
Key takeaways:
Don’t bore your viewer. Gen Z has an attention span of 8 seconds. Say what you need to say as quickly as you can. For Ads, it is only 1.3 seconds.
TikTok trends end by day 3. This can be vital for coming up with Digital PR ideas to gain traction, as well as reactive posting on social media.
Ryan Jones – Mastering mental health in digital marketing’s always-on world
Ryan talked about his personal experiences navigating his mental health while working in digital marketing and he shared the valuable insights that he had learned along the way.
Key Takeaways
Have a shutdown ritual at the end of the day.
Make sure to take your lunch breaks and holidays.
Remember that little things can go a long way, Ryan noted that having a free half-day to watch the football final was great for morale.
Why we attend Brighton SEO
As the world’s largest search marketing conference, Brighton SEO is a must for our calendars at Varn. Every year the team come back having learnt new things, met inspiring people and are energised to make an even bigger impact in search for our clients.
If you want to learn more about SEO and the different areas and talks covered above, get in touch with a member of the Varn team today.
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