The Conference

SMX Advanced is one of the top online marketing conferences for advanced marketers and is put on by Search Engine Land. It took place at the Bell Harbor International Conference Center in Seattle, Washington, June 22-23, 2016.

Seattle skyline photo
Welcome to sunny Seattle, home to SMX Advanced

The Benefits

Attending SMX Advanced is a great way for people to hear what some of the top names in the industry have to say.

The Main Takeaways

1.      Extended Text Ads (ETAs)

  1. When ETAs rollout, it’s best to take your time adding them rather than creating hundreds of new ads all at once
  2. Identify where to use ETAs, test this, then deploy across other areas of a campaign

2.      Ad Strategy

  1. With less paid search inventory, look at changing your ad strategy based on organic listings

3.      Visual Communication (in display ads)

  1. “Visual communication is not about large, visual design decisions, it’s about small visual design decisions.” – Amy Balliett

4.      Landing page design is important

  1. First impressions are based on design
  2. People notice motions first, then images, then text

5.      Converted vs. Non-Converted Segments

  1. Create these within Google Analytics to segment data

6.      Change it up

  1. Change up ad copy, especially on brand terms that users may search frequently

In the End

SMX Advanced does run at a faster pace than other online marketing conferences do, with two jam-packed days of sessions, complete with big names and brands in search marketing. Whether you’re new to the industry or a seasoned pro, there is no doubt that you’ll come back with an overwhelming amount of information. Above is a list of some of the major up-and-coming releases and top tips that had the largest impact on our department. This is a conference we would recommend again and again for online marketers, especially considering the ever-changing industry.