The post 10 reasons to enter the Search Engine Land Awards appeared first on Search Engine Land.

The staggering amount of change in the last 24 months has presented search marketers with an unrivaled amount of challenges… and opportunities:

• The role of automation is expanding
• Major platforms are evolving
• Algorithm updates and ranking factor rollouts are endless

And that’s just the start. Your key to a more successful future is continued training with trusted experts. Attend SMX Advanced for free, online June 14-15, to learn elite, sophisticated, actionable search marketing tactics that can help you stay a cut above the competition.

Keep reading for 10 undeniable reasons why you should join us online next month:

1. You’ll unlock unbiased, trustworthy content from the Search Engine Land experts.
2. 100% virtual means you can attend from anywhere: office, home, couch, etc.
3. For the first time in more than 15 years, registration for SMX Advanced is 100% FREE.
4. You’ll only learn safe, reputable, reliable training — no get-rich-quick schemes or dodgy tactics.
5. Live Q&A means you’ll get expert answers to your toughest questions.
6. Can’t attend live? On-demand access is included with your free pass, so you can train at your convenience.
7. Hear what the best of the best are up to… and validate your own initiatives and instincts.
8. Forge invaluable connections during topic-driven Coffee Talk discussions and engaging afternoon breakout discussions.
9. Unite your departments with a shared training experience – invaluable to on-site and remote teams alike.
10. Earn a personalized Certificate of Attendance to demonstrate your commitment to continued training and furthering your career.

Ready to register? Smart move. Secure your free pass now!

The post 10 reasons to join us at SMX Advanced online this June appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Your final chance for industry-wide recognition, awesome social buzz, and a hefty boost to company morale is fast approaching: The 2021 Search Engine Awards entry period closes at the end of this week — Friday, September 3 at 11:59pm PT to be exact!

There’s still time for you to submit your application — especially because the submission process is faster and easier than ever. But before you begin that entry, take a moment to meet the judges, a fabulous panel of seasoned pros across the SEO and PPC spectrum, led by Search Engine Land’s own editorial experts…

… and look over their first-hand advice for what makes a winning SEO or PPC campaign, and thus, a winning Search Engine Land Awards application.

Azeem Ahmad

For me, a successful campaign starts at the end. Yes, you read that right. What I meant by that statement is that for any campaign to be a success, you have to absolutely decide what the measure of success is, and what success looks like for you. Jumping in without clarity often leads to more harm than good for the business.

It’s ok to just say “we want more traffic”, but the great campaigns go a step further and say “with this campaign, we’re looking to increase leads from [x] to [y] – or a [%] YoY growth – by implementing these strategies.”

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Crystal Carter

What makes difference in for a good SEO campaign is a clear understanding of the target audience – what you have to offer and what is most genuinely of value to those users. SEO provides a wealth of user data and insights to underpin content, advertising, promotion, and technical improvements. Putting that targeting to good use makes all the difference.

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Emily Mixon

My tip for a successful PPC campaign is negative fencing, particularly when you’re in a niche product category, and with all the recent match-type updates and close variants. Crucial to maintaining, and especially improving efficiency, campaigns need to be structured in a way to maintain control of keyword targeting and exclusions in an environment where automation is taking over.

For starters, begin with a phrase match-only campaign with a select few keywords, which you know will have a breadth of search queries matching back to them. For example, if you’re selling kitchen appliances, you could target “ovens” and “ranges”, and then collect the data around all of the search queries matching to them over a period of time. It is key to set a cadence for this, and stick to it, or the amount of search queries to sift through could become unmanageable. My cadence, on a good week, is every Monday, pulling the last 7 days of data.

Next, identify the search queries that are driving significant conversion volume, and add them as exact match keywords into an exact match-only version of the campaign. Do not add them as phrase matches to your phrase match campaign. The point here is to funnel traffic to exact match keywords, for which you can tailor specific and relevant ads and landing page experiences, (ex. [double oven wall unit] or [stainless steel gas ranges]). The phrase match keywords have done their job at this point in identifying converting search queries.

Finally, and most importantly, add the new exact match keywords from your exact match campaign as negative exact match keywords in the phrase match campaign. This helps to ensure that those queries hit the exact match keyword, which should have a better Quality Score and CPC’s than phrase match, and frees up budget for the phrase match keywords to find more search query variations.

Also, while combing through the SQR, be sure to add irrelevant search queries such as, “driving ranges” or “dutch ovens” in this example, as negative keywords to the campaign to help reduce wasted spend.

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Anu Adegbola

Regarding what I think makes a successful campaign… a few things straight away come to mind: A good structure based on either site structure, performance of keywords, match types (Broad vs. Phrase vs. Exact).  Clear indication of testing being done (ad copy, bid strategies, match types, etc). Robust use of different bid strategies (but according to performance not just a one size fits all solution.

Varied use of ad copy types – expanded text ads, alongside response search ads, dynamics ads, as well as using extra functions like countdowns, IF statements etc. Indication of regular search query analysis being done. Use of automation as needed.

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Brett Bodofsky

What makes an effective PPC campaign (specifically Google Ads and Microsoft Ads) is a robust structure which allows for ads that are highly tailored to their targeting. The targeting and copy/creative work together, in unison, to help achieve a clearly defined business objective (obtaining leads, sales, customer retention, creating brand awareness). Landing page also plays an important role in the success of a PPC campaign.

A campaign with refined targeting, bids and creative can drive highly qualified traffic to a page. If the page that traffic is sent to is not what a user would expect, has poor functionality, looks unprofessional, that can severely damage the effectiveness of a PPC campaign.

One factor that gets set up outside of campaigns similar to landing pages that can impact effectiveness is the conversion action. For intelligent bidding decisions and iterations to be made campaigns need a proper conversion action to work off of.

Another factor that can make a PPC campaign effective is time. It sounds so simple, but time allows for data to come in, which helps the machine learning make more informed decisions.

• It is the sum of many aspects which create an effective campaign (settings, targeting, bids, budget, creative, messaging, proper tracking, experimentation, demand, landing page, competition, etc). One of these aspects being off in some way can damage the integrity of your campaign and make it less effective.
• A campaign might not always be effective as soon as you launch or even in the first week or 2, but in due time, with more data in the door, it could become effective through means of machine learning having more to optimize off of and any manual optimizations/iterations the practitioner makes.

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Remember: The final deadline is this Friday, September 3 at 11:59pm PT. Standard entrance fees are $595 per application — and you can submit to as many categories as you like.

What are you waiting for? You, your company, and your career deserve this. Begin your application now!

The post Meet the 2021 Search Engine Land Awards judges appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Here’s your exclusive sneak peek, straight from Rand himself…

In years past, Google has been the largest driver of traffic to almost every web-based business in existence. Today, that’s still true, but a strange new trend is rearing its head — Google’s becoming your primary competitor. From travel to sports, reference to news, and answers on every topic, the search giant is working harder than ever to keep searchers on Google rather than sending them to your sites. In this presentation, I’ll show, via clickstream data from 10s of millions of devices, how the landscape of the web is shifting, and how to compete against Google in a game they control.

Rand’s keynote will tackle important topics, like:

• Where search opportunity broadly sits for paid and organic
• How to benefit from zero-click searches and Google’s bias to instant answers
• Where and how influence and traffic can be garnered from other sources, including social networks, podcasts, video, apps, and the still-powerful long tail of the web
• Whether, how, and how much voice search (and voice answers) are cannibalizing opportunity
• What other trends are on the rise in search and search marketing
• Tactics for on-SERP SEO and branded search creation

This is just one of more than 70 sessions coming to SMX East November 13-14 in NYC, covering all aspects of a comprehensive search marketing program: SEO, SEM, CRO, analytics, social, local, tools, and beyond. Saddle up for an educational journey that will help you connect what you learn to how you execute back at the office — expanding your knowledge in a deeper, more meaningful way.

Sound like your cup of tea? Secure your spot now to take advantage of Super Early Bird rates! Pick your ideal pass:

• All Access Pass: The complete experience — all sessions, keynotes, clinics, networking events, and amenities. Book now and save $450 off on-site rates!
• All Access + Workshop Combo (best value!): Maximize your learning by adding a full-day pre-conference workshop to your itinerary. Book now and save $900 off on-site rates!

You’ll walk away with at least one actionable tactic that will elevate your search marketing campaigns in 2019 and beyond.

See you in NYC!

The post Spoiler: Rand Fishkin is keynoting SMX East! appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Seasoned search marketers like you are attending SMX® Advanced for elite, actionable SEO and SEM tactics that drive real results. We’d love for you to join us June 3-5 in Seattle!

This is your guide to everything you can expect at the event. But before diving in, I’ll remind you to register now, before Early Bird rates expire next Saturday, April 27. SMX Advanced sells out every year… don’t pass up your chance to secure a seat AND lock in the lowest available rates!

Now, onto the preview… here’s how it’s gonna work: We’ll look at all of the SEO and SEM keynotes and sessions, explain the brand new Insights Track, check out the pre-conference workshops, run through the Solutions Track, explore the Expo Hall, and finish up with a run-down of our exclusive networking events, including the 5th annual Search Engine Land Awards.

Here we go!

SEO Sessions: The Evolution of Ranking Factors, Penalties, Local Search, & More

The SEO track kicks off with a keynote that sets the tone for the conference: Surveying the SEO Horizon. SEO has never been one-size fits all, and if there’s one constant in organic search, it’s change. Search Engine Land’s in-house SEO expert, Jessica Bowman, and technical SEO pro, Detlev Johnson, will join with agency rockstar Alexis Sanders for a one-of-a-kind, panoramic view of SEO — exploring merging advanced tactics, changes in the ecosystem, and what makes an SEO successful.

You’ll also enjoy SMX hallmarks, like…

The Periodic Table Of SEO Success Factors: 2019 Edition. We’ll unveil the newly-updated Periodic Table of SEO Success Factors and examine all of the search ranking factors that influence your results. What’s on the rise? What’s on the decline? And what still works? You’ll leave this session knowing the exact elements that deliver maximum SEO success.

Then, it’s time for in-depth analysis of crucial SEO topics, including…

• Mobile-First & AMP For The Advanced SEO
• What’s New With Schema & Structured Data
• The New Renaissance Of JavaScript
• Optimizing For Voice Search & Virtual Assistants
• Google & Bing Talk Spam & Penalties
• The Smart Way To Create & Repurpose Content
• The Evolving Landscape Of Local Search
• Ask The SEOs

Check out the complete SEO track.

SEM Sessions: Mad Scientists, Automation Generation, Cracking Attribution, & More

One of the best parts about SMX Advanced is you get your insights straight from the source – and that’s definitely the case for our opening SEM keynote. Ginny Marvin, Search Engine Land editor-in-chief, will share advice on the biggest issues facing search marketers and how smart marketers are keeping pace. Google’s Chief Search Evangelist Nic Darveau-Garneau will discuss how the role of the search marketer has changed and steps to succeed in this new world. Microsoft execs Lynne Kjolso and Vaishali De will cover the latest product developments in Bing Ads, including LinkedIn and the Microsoft Audience Network.

The rest of the SEM track features signature SMX Advanced sessions, including…

The Mad Scientists Of Paid Search! Our expert panelists will present original research and highly-insightful observations including the impact of match type changes, how search and e-commerce auctions really work, new developments in attribution modeling, linear regression, and much more.

]Then, it’s time to load up on SEM goodness at tactic-rich sessions like…

• What’s New & Crucial In SEM
• Automation: The Next Generation
• Perfect Your SEM Testing: How & Why To Evaluate Everything
• Cracking Attribution In A Cross-Channel, Cross-Device World
• Making Your Analytics Work Harder & Smarter
• Aligning Your Marketing With Your Customer’s Journey
• Selling Smarter With Search, Social, Marketplace Ads
• Ask The SEMs

Check out the complete SEM track.

New! Overtime: Extended Discussion Time With Speakers

You told us you want more opportunities to connect directly with speakers. We heard you. Say hello to “Overtime” — extended discussion time following each editorial session. Join attendees and speakers to continue the conversation, dive deeper, and get your questions answered.

New! The Insights Track: Must-Try Tactics & Q&A Clinics

The Insights Track features two types of sessions: Insights and Clinics.

During each Insights session, you’ll get one must-try tactic, one nugget of sage advice, or one takeaway that makes you more productive in this fast-paced, value-packed format. Here’s a taste of what’s in store:

• Things Google Tries To Correct For You, with Patrick Stox of IBM
• Outsmart YouTube’s Automated Bidding To Drive More Conversions, Ashley Mo of 3Q Digital
• The Evolution Of Branding: Brand To Demand, with Helen Provost of Google

Have an insight you want to share from the stage? Pitch your idea here!

Need specific pointers? Eager for an account audit? Bring your questions to our audience-engagement-fueled Advanced Clinics. No PowerPoints, no presentations, just honest advice from a panel of experts. Advanced Clinic topics include social ads, Amazon ads, technical SEO, SEM, and Google Analytics.

Pre-Conference Workshops & Training

\Hungry for more? Come a day early and add an immersive, hands-on workshop to your agenda. These unique training opportunities are led by recognized industry experts and offer invaluable networking in small-group environments. Choose from the following topics:

• Advanced SEO Training with Bruce Clay
• Advanced AdWords Training with Brad Geddes
• Hardcore Technical SEO Tactics & Techniques with Eric Enge
• In-House SEO Exchange with Jessica Bowman
• Leveraging Search & Social For Maximum ROI with Marty Weintraub and Susan Wenograd

These workshops carry an additional fee. Pro-tip! Score deep discounts when you bundle your workshop with an All Access pass!

The Solutions Track: Key Insights from Top Vendors

Sessions in the Solutions track are created and produced by the company sponsoring them. Because these sessions compete with high-quality editorial sessions, the companies producing Solutions track sessions make sure that plenty of great information is offered. Here’s what you can expect in Seattle:

• It’s All About the Flywheel: How Marketers Are Leveraging Quora for Big Results, with Quora Inc.
• Link Building Secrets SEOs Won’t Share: How To Build A Link Profile That Rank, with PureLinq
• Mastering SEO Silos, with Bruce Clay, Inc.

You’ll also hear from BrightEdge, Adobe, Bing, and Invoca. Stay tuned for more session details!

The Expo Hall: Your One-Stop Shop For Marketing Technology Solutions

Our Expo Hall is an inexhaustible center for knowledge and networking. You’ll connect with market-defining vendors and obtain invaluable solution demos in a relaxed, welcoming environment. The products and services you discover can help save you time and boost productivity. Swing by during session breaks or spend some focused hours combing through all the Expo Hall has to offer.

Career-Defining Networking

SMX Advanced brings together the most accomplished search marketers in the world and we provide plenty of thoughtfully-sequenced networking events for you to engage with your peers.

Once you’re registered, request an invitation to our private SMX Facebook Group. This will allow you to connect with other attendees and speakers before, during, and after the show.

We’ll be kicking off the show Monday, June 3 with two dynamic community meetups, one for SEOs and one for SEMs:

• SEOs will join Search Engine Land’s Barry Schwartz for a discussion about Google’s March 2019 core search algorithm update and other hot issues at this exclusive gathering.
• SEMs will team up with Search Engine Land editor-in-chief Ginny Marvin for a tour through the latest announcements and changes in paid search.

Then, it’s time for the Opening Reception, sponsored by Bruce Clay, Inc. You’ll enjoy drinks, appetizers, and a spectacular view of Seattle from the roof of the Bell Harbor while connecting with fellow attendees and speakers.

Join us after the Opening Reception for Janes of Digital, a Microsoft-created event devoted to important conversations about diversity and inclusion. Stay tuned for more details!

Tuesday evening, June 4, we’ll toast our exhibitors during the Expo Hall Reception. Mingle with peers and check out the best-of-breed marketing solutions over drinks and hors d’oeuvres.

Lastly, you won’t want to miss the most prestigious awards program in search — the 5th annual Search Engine Land Awards! Join us for a fabulous evening at Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture. We’ll honor the finalists and winners and celebrate the community with an epic afterparty!

Want more time for shop talk? Sign up for one of our Birds of a Feather lunch tables on Tuesday, June 4 and Wednesday, June 5. These topic-driven tables elevate your mealtime small talk to truly valuable conversations with others who share your professional interests. We’ll email you with a list of table topics in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!

You’ve Read, Now Register!

I hope you’ve found this preview useful, and that you’ll be joining us in Seattle this June! Now is the time to take advantage of Early Bird rates – pick your ideal pass and book now:

• All Access: All sessions, keynotes, networking, and amenities. Book by April 27 and save $300 off on-site rates!
• All Access + Workshop Combo (best value!): The complete SMX experience + your choice of immersive, full-day workshop. Book by April 27 to save $600 off on-site rates!
• Networking: Full access to the Expo Hall and networking events, plus downloadable speaker presentations and more. Book by April 27 and save $200 off on-site rates!

Remember: Whichever pass you choose, book NOW to lock in these special rates!

The post Explore the SMX Advanced agenda appeared first on Search Engine Land.

The industry’s most prestigious awards competition, The Search Engine Land Awards, has an important milestone coming up: The Early Bird deadline! Get your application in by this Friday, April 12 (TOMORROW!), you’ll pay just $395 – $100 off standard entry rates!

Think of what that extra money could go towards, especially if you win… $100 (per entry!) buys a lot of celebratory pizzas, that’s all I’m saying…

So, what are you waiting for? This is your chance to show the world you’re award-winning, enjoy priceless word-of-mouth marketing, and take home the highest honor in search. Complete your submission now!

If you have any questions, reach out to awards@searchengineland.com.

And remember: Finalists will be honored on the evening of June 4 during SMX® Advanced (June 3-5) — the ceremony and afterparty will be held at the Seattle Museum of Pop Culture! Last year’s event was a smash hit – just ask the winners!

Our judges look forward to seeing what you have to share! Enter now!

The post Enter the 2019 Search Engine Land Awards NOW to save $100 off registration! appeared first on Search Engine Land.

It seems like just yesterday we were kicking off SMX West, and now the show has come to a close! But dry those tears — the best moments of SMX live on in this incredible roundup of #SMXInsights shared over the past four days:

Whether you missed out on attending or want to revisit some of your favorite takeaways, this deck is yours to enjoy. Bookmark it for the future, share it with your social circles and return to it again and again whenever you’re craving some fresh SEO and SEM inspiration.

“Create content for every stage of the journey. 80% of the content is 'I want to know' [think FAQs]… via @BenuAggarwal #smx #smxinsights pic.twitter.com/exDe6xos0O

— Alex Ludwig (@imnotanattorney) March 14, 2018

“Voice search today has an error rate of only 6.3% – the same a human translator. Your customers are asking questions – answer them clearly for the sake of your organic strategy!”#SMXInsights #seo@EntrataSoftware pic.twitter.com/lAtQvbMIge

— Diogo Ordacowski (@ordacowski) March 13, 2018

Google is here to make sure we’re paying attention ? #SMXwest the sugar rush of #SMXInsights is about to hit ? pic.twitter.com/uTW9eZFW3L

— Holly Miller (@millertime_baby) March 13, 2018

“Technology is only as good as the humans who train it” #SMXInsights pic.twitter.com/gdHzybfTSD

— Sipra Roy (@SipraRoy) March 13, 2018

See the full deck on Slideshare! See all the presentations from SMX West here!

Psst… Hungry for some more insights? Come to our next SMX event, SMX Advanced, June 11-13 in Seattle, Washington! Join the best and brightest search marketers for an unbeatable learning and networking experience!

The post Get your #SMXInsights here! Tastiest takeaways from SMX West 2018 appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Now, on to some of our favorite SMX East moments.

Top 10 SMX East 2017 highlights

1. The Meet & Greet is always a fabulous way to kick off the conference. Attendees and speakers mingled at Stitch Bar & Lounge to ring in another SMX East over cocktails and snacks. Big thanks to Bruce Clay Inc. for sponsoring the official launch of the show!
2. Bright and early Tuesday morning, Google’s Kishore Kanakamedala took the stage to unveil a series of online-to-offline solutions and products just ahead of the holiday season. We livestreamed the entire event, which you can watch here. A full recap of the session can be found here.
3. Excel With Bing set up shop in the Classroom on Tuesday, hosting an array of sessions aimed at amping up paid search strategies. Attendees got to meet the team and get one-on-one support for different Bing Ads issues. Catch up with some tweet coverage here.
4. Janes of Digital returned to New York City with its usual stylish flare and spirited conversation. This year’s topic of discussion: the Power of Vulnerability. The dynamic panel featured Alice Han, performance marketing analyst at EveryMundo, Amelie Glon Werner, senior business manager at Microsoft, Cameron Klitz, senior strategist at Reprise Media and moderator Frances Donegan-Ryan, senior marketing manager at Bing. The four online marketers were joined by FDNY firefighter Jackie-Michelle Martinez, who lent a unique and passionate perspective beyond our professional community. Bing Ads, the event host, livestreamed the panel discussion, which you can watch here.
5. Scott Brinker’s keynote Wednesday morning charged the audience for a fresh day of learning. Scott has evangelized the emergence and growth of martech (marketing technology) for over a decade, and his keynote was a summons for the search marketing community to lead in the new “martech era.” Catch up with our full keynote coverage here.
6. Learn With Google brought attendees to the Classroom all day Wednesday for best practices and advice straight from the mouths of Googlers. As the Big G puts it, the “one constant in AdWords is change,” so sessions and speakers aimed to educate attendees on the ever-changing platform. Catch up with some tweet coverage here.
7. The third annual Search Engine Land Awards were hosted at the scenic 230 Fifth venue on Wednesday evening. Together, we celebrated individuals, agencies and internal marketing teams who have demonstrated excellence in executing organic and paid search marketing initiatives. The rooftop bar, complete with a stunning view of the illuminated Empire State Building, was straight-up glamorous. See the winners here: Search Engine Land Awards Gala spotlights top performers in the SEO & SEM industry.
8. For the first time ever at SMX, Amazon Marketing Services set up shop in our Expo Hall and led a well-attended session on Customer-First Advertising. Amazon team members demonstrated how Amazon Marketing Services helps connect brands with a wide and engaged audience through timely, targeted, high-impact ads. Attendees walked away with fresh insights, as well as a pretty sweet tote bag.
9. A beloved SMX staple, the Google AMA took place Thursday morning. Webmaster Trends Analyst Gary Illyes sat down with our own Barry Schwartz and Michelle Robbins to answer any and all questions moderators and audience members had for the search giant. Catch up with full coverage from the AMA here.
10. The Clinic track ran all day Thursday, offering attendees a unique opportunity to ask experts case-by-case questions for the entire duration of each session. There were 75 minutes (per clinic!) of 100 percent Q&A. Each clinic had a specific focus; between links, SEM, SEO, social and analytics, there was something for everyone.
    

    Photo credit: @qcait on Twitter

Coverage from around the web

Next up, we wanted to share a roundup of some coverage from around the web, including recaps contributed by some of our own speakers. We’ll update this list as more coverage rolls out!

• SEO Ranking Factors 2017: What Matters & What Doesn’t
• Global Marketing & E-commerce: Top Things to Consider
• SMX Day 2: Google’s New UI, Machine Learning & MarTech
• SMX East 2017: Best Tweets From Day 1
• SMX East 2017: Best Tweets From Day 2
• SMX East 2017 Day 1 – Online-to-Offline, Shopping, Display
• SMX East 2017 Day 2 – Paid search trends, Amazon and Automation
• SMX East 2017 Day 3 – Attribution, Video and Analytics
• PPC Advertising Strategies: The Paid Search Advertising Strategies of the Future at SMX East 2017
• Quotes from speakers of #SMX East
• Mobile-first updates from SMX East
• All Google Manual Penalties Explained from SMX East
• SEO Ranking Factors in 2017: What’s Important and What’s Not
• Google announces new online-to-offline features on the cusp of the holiday shopping season

Looking ahead: SMX East 2019

The next time SMX East is coming to town will be 2019. Moving forward, we will alternate shows between coasts each year; in 2018, we will host SMX West in San Jose, Calif., and in 2019, we will host SMX East in New York City. SMX Advanced will continue to be held every year in Seattle.

Thanks to all once more for a fantastic SMX East. See you guys in San Jose and Seattle in 2018!

The post The Great #SMX East Recap: 2017 Edition appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Next week in New York City, search marketers from across the world will gather for SMX East 2017 — three days of actionable tactics, mind-expanding education and awesome, valuable networking events. We really hope to see you there! If you haven’t already booked your ticket, there’s still time. Here’s a rundown of your options:

• All Access passes pack the most punch. You get access to all of the sessions, keynotes, clinics, the entire Expo Hall, networking events, meals and refreshments, complimentary shuttle services, free WiFi and more. It’s the total SMX experience. Book your All Access pass here.
• All Access + Workshop passes are a step up, and they will extend your SMX experience tremendously. Join us the day before the conference begins for a full-day workshop with built-in networking opportunities, plus meals and refreshments. Book your All Access + Workshop pass here.
• Workshop passes are ideal if you can only stick around for one day but really want to dive deep into one specific topic. You get all of the workshop perks and benefits as outlined above. View all of our workshop options here.
• Expo+ passes are FREE if you book ahead of the show, so there’s really no excuse not to join us! You get access to our entire Expo Hall, plus all of our SMX Theater presentations, as well as the Classroom Track. Google, Bing and Amazon Marketing Services will all be there. Will you?

So there you have it. A pass for every person. Pick the one that best suits your budget and goals, and join us next week in NYC!

Pssst — We also offer team rates so your crew can divide and conquer, learning as much as you possibly can, all while enjoying considerable discounts! Check out more about our team rates here.

The post SMX East is next week! Will we see you in NYC? appeared first on Search Engine Land.

We tallied all of the likes, favorites, shares, clicks, retweets and so on for every single social post across the Search Engine Land Facebook and Twitter communities over the past 12 months. Out of the top 10 most socially engaging stories across those communities — 20 stories in total — only ONE was not about Google. (Even the honorable mention in the Twitter roundup was from the Google Dance earlier this year during SMX West. It literally was our 7th most popular tweet of 2016. Scroll down and have a watch. You’ll see why.)

From AdWords updates to algorithm changes, the arrival of Expanded Text Ads to the sunsetting of PageRank score… there was a lot going on with the Big G this year. Let’s take a look back at the issues and announcements that scored the most social engagement across the board. (Catch up with all of our Search Engine Land Year In Review stories, while you’re at it!)

Search Engine Land’s Most Social Tweets Of 2016

1. Google officially throttling Keyword Planner data for low spending AdWords accounts — by Greg Finn, August 13

Google officially throttling Keyword Planner data for low spending AdWords accounts https://t.co/QgkyQCMmf9

— Search Engine Land (@sengineland) August 13, 2016

2. Confirmed: Google To Stop Showing Ads On Right Side Of Desktop Search Results Worldwide — by Matt McGee, February 19 (This story actually made the list three times. Three different tweets promoting this story throughout the week of publication ranked on the top 10 list, so… it’s kind of a big deal.)

Confirmed: @Google To Stop Showing Ads On Right Side Of Desktop Search Results Worldwide by @mattmcgee https://t.co/TEtYEaQNPy

— Search Engine Land (@sengineland) February 20, 2016

3. RIP #Google PageRank score: A retrospective on how it ruined the web — by Danny Sullivan, March 9

RIP #Google PageRank score: A retrospective on how it ruined the web by @dannysullivan https://t.co/WWIDXw8uii

— Search Engine Land (@sengineland) March 10, 2016

4. Moz trims product line to focus on search, lays off 28% of staff — by Barry Schwartz, August 17

Moz trims product line to focus on search, lays off 28% of staff by @rustybrick https://t.co/1HvNShmfOb

— Search Engine Land (@sengineland) August 17, 2016

5. Google expanded text ads are live, and device bidding & responsive ads for native roll out — by Ginny Marvin, July 26

Google has officially launched expanded text ads. https://t.co/271xtkomzD #ppcchat #SEM pic.twitter.com/PyTkvwW8aR

— Search Engine Land (@sengineland) July 26, 2016

6. Google is completely redesigning AdWords: Offers first peek — by Ginny Marvin, March 28

Google is completely redesigning AdWords: Offers first peek by @ginnymarvin https://t.co/B9Zg98eDKH

— Search Engine Land (@sengineland) March 28, 2016

7. Google’s New SERP Layout: The Biggest Winners & Losers — by Larry Kim, February 24

Google’s New SERP Layout: The Biggest Winners & Losers by @larrykim https://t.co/a40OWmnLEh

— Search Engine Land (@sengineland) February 25, 2016

8. Saying a third of mobile searches are local, Google brings “Promoted Pins” to Maps — by Greg Sterling, May 24

The Big G is introducing new local search ads on @Google and @GoogleMaps: https://t.co/oDs0NarrCQ pic.twitter.com/FII0PHAEXS

— Search Engine Land (@sengineland) May 24, 2016

9. Everything you need to know about Google’s “Possum” algorithm update — by Joy Hawkins, September 21

Everything you need to know about Google’s ‘Possum’ algorithm update by @joyannehawkins https://t.co/lVF5VUh59Q

— Search Engine Land (@sengineland) September 21, 2016

10. The real impact of Google’s new paid search ad layout on organic search — by Winston Burton, March 28

What is the real impact of Google’s new paid search ad layout on organic search? Check in with Winston Burton: https://t.co/jyPbxyHabe #SEO

— Search Engine Land (@sengineland) March 29, 2016

Honorable Mention

.@dchordigian shutting it down at #GoogleDance #SMX ???? pic.twitter.com/71JWbay6St

— Search Engine Land (@sengineland) March 3, 2016

Because obvi.

Search Engine Land’s Most Social Facebook Posts Of 2016

1. Confirmed: Google To Stop Showing Ads On Right Side Of Desktop Search Results Worldwide — by Matt McGee, February 19

2. Google Panda Is Now Part Of Google’s Core Ranking Signals — by Barry Schwartz, January 12

3. Google Had A Major Core Ranking Algorithm Update This Past Weekend — by Barry Schwartz, January 12

4. Google has confirmed it is removing Toolbar PageRank — by Barry Schwartz, March 8

5. Google is completely redesigning AdWords: Offers first peek — by Ginny Marvin, March 28

6. Google expanded text ads are live, and device bidding & responsive ads for native roll out — by Ginny Marvin, July 26

7. Everything you need to know about Google’s ‘Possum’ algorithm update — by Joy Hawkins, September 21

8. Google+ Accounts No Longer Required For Leaving Local Reviews In Google — by Barry Schwartz, April 4

9. Study: Quality Backlinks & Comprehensive Content Are Still Biggest Factors In Google Rankings — by Greg Finn, January 20

10. iPhone Users, The AdWords App For iOS Has Arrived — by Ginny Marvin, January 28

Methodology: Top tweets were identified by native Twitter analytics. Top Facebook posts were identified using Simply Measured analytics.

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