Search Marketing Expo (SMX) West 2012

SMX is programmed by the search marketing authorities who edit the leading news blog Search Engine Land and who have years of experience educating search marketers.

SMX West co-chair Danny Sullivan has been writing about search engines and programming search marketing events for a decade. He is renowned for producing quality shows where the information presented is so good that attendees frequently start implementing tips during breaks! .

Conference co-chair Chris Sherman has analyzed and influenced developments in search marketing for more than a decade. He is Executive Editor of Search Engine Land and the creative force behind programs Search Marketing Expo events around the world. He is also the author of several books on search marketing and technologies, including “Google Power: Unleash the Full Power of Google,” published by McGraw-Hill.

Who Attends SMX West?

Want to know if SMX West is for you? People with the following titles attended past SMX events:

Corporate Management
-Chief Marketing Officer
-CEO & owner
-President
-Vice President, Internet Sales & Marketing
-Vice President, Business Development

Marketing Management
-E-Commerce Manager
-Marketing Manager
-Brand Manager
-Creative Director
-Director, Business Analytics

Marketing Staff
-Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialist
-PPC Analyst
-Media Planner
-Media Buyer
-Junior Account Manager
-SEM Associate

IT/Web
-Executive Director, IT
-IT Managers
-Webmaster
-Web Developer
-IT Project Manager

Here’s what attendees get from SMX events:

No Sales Pitches

Just as a newspaper or magazine has editorial content, produced by independent writers, SMX has editorial sessions where those who are speaking are selected based on the knowledge and experience they provide to conference attendees.

We do think sponsors and partners have valuable information for our attendees, of course. That’s why we’re proud of our expo halls. At some SMX events we even offer a sprinkling of sessions that are clearly marked “SPONSORED” so you’ll know who is backing them.

Many Viewpoints

Search marketing is not an exact science. That’s why many of our panels feature multiple speakers, so that attendees get a variety of opinions. It’s also why we offer extensive Q&A and discussion periods as part of most sessions, so that the audience can help drive forward exploration of particular views.

It’s All Choreographed

SMX doesn’t just invite speakers to a panel and leave to chance what happens next. Each session is carefully prepped by a session coordinator. That coordinator reviews a range of potential speakers and selects a panel based on the most compelling presentations. The coordinator then works to ensure each speaker has an agreed amount of time to talk and that the presentations are complementary, rather than overlapping.

The result: panels and sessions that deliver on the promises in our agendas and that just seem to magically flow together for attendees. We also use separate Q&A moderators to compile questions from the audience and group the most common ones together, to ensure priority is given to key issues.

An Enjoyable Experience

Conferences are more than just sitting in a room and watching PowerPoint presentations. At SMX, we believe the surrounding experience to presentations is a key part of the show. Among other things, this means:

-We don’t do box lunches.
-We offer conference bags you’ll want to use again and again.
-We ensure there’s internet connectivity for attendees.
-We carefully plan networking events, to ensure this important aspect of coming to a live conference isn’t left to chance.

Search Conferences Driven By Attendees

Like many conferences, SMX has an advisory board. But unlike many conferences, anyone can belong. It’s you. It’s anyone who has ever attended one of our shows. Whether you provide feedback to using our formal evaluation forms, send us email or just talk to us at the show, we take your advice and use it to constantly reshape and improve our events going forward.