Search Summit -- The Australian Search Marketing Conference

WebKnowHow
Friday, February 9, 2007; 07:39 AM

Australia's first search marketing conference of the year is set to raise key issues within the industry as well as provide basic training and advanced strategy and tactics for industry professionals.

Search Summit organiser Barry Smyth said that the Summit's aim is to have a national conference that embraces the local Australian search industry where online marketers can learn from local and international industry marketing experts.

"The event has been developed for search marketers by search marketers. We understand the issues that are facing our industry today, and at a content and speaker level we know what they are looking to learn and discuss."

"Search marketers can pick up practical knowledge from leading global experts while participating in business networking with search industry professionals, a rare opportunity in Australia," said Mr. Smyth.

Search Summit focuses on a range of hot search topics with over 90 individual presentations on training, tactics and industry issues including:

2007 Search Outlook: Discussing the trends and the future of Search, world renowned Search Engine expert Chris Sherman will be keynoting Search Forecast 2007. Mr. Sherman is the Executive Editor of Danny Sullivan's new venture SearchEngineLand.com and President of Searchwise LLC, a Boulder, Colorado-based Web consulting firm.

Google Webmasters Central: The team from Google will be active in a series of sessions throughout Search Summit, including two clinics, there will also be panel session the Webmaster Central Team to discuss various coding issues, and their affects within Google's Search Engine. Topics up for discussion include CSS and hiding, validating code, semantic structure and Industry Influence, as well as a chance to ask any questions that audience members may have. The Googler's in attendance include Adam Lasnik, Search Quality Expert, Maile Ohye, XML Site Maps Guru, Dan Crow, Web 2.0 & bots and Peeyush Ranjan, Search Quality.

Resolving issues of professionalism: In an effort to resolve issues of concern within the industry such as regulations, professionalism and transparent pricing, the Summit will be introducing a SEMPO (Search Engine Marketing Professionals Organization) working group into Australia. Delegates will have an opportunity to meet with the Australian working group and International Board Members to understand the value of joining the Australian chapter. It is hoped an Australian chapter of SEMPO will be running by the end of the year.

There will be 40 speakers from the US, UK and Australia including world-renowned Search Engine expert Chris Sherman, Google's Search Evangelist Adam Lasnik, Marketing Pilgrim's Andy Beal, Position Tech's Detlev Johnson, Bill Hunt from IBM.com + Australia's Fionn Hyndman from dgmAustralia and Ian Leuchars from 24/7 Real Media.