Surat SEO Meetup proves to be a Game-Changer in the Industry
The recent Surat SEO Meetup, held in Gujarat, marked a significant milestone for the SEO community in India.
Drawing a crowd of around 130 attendees, this event was the first of its kind in Gujarat and comparable to global SEO events like LondonSEOMeetup and Brighton SEO.
With three insightful presentations and an engaging panel discussion, the event highlighted cutting-edge SEO strategies and practices.
iVIPANAN organized this path-breaking SEO meetup. Notably, iVIPANAN was the first company to plan and organise digital marketing meetups and events in Surat since 2016.
The meetup was designed with individual sessions and a panel discussion. Bhautik Sheth (Founder, iVIPANAN), Brijesh Soni (SEO Manager, NP Digital, India), Divya Mistry (Manager – SEO and Web Development, iVIPANAN), Viken Patel (Founder, The CSS Agency) and Axit Mehta (Founder, Nerd’s House) led the meetup.
With three individual sessions and panel discussions, this SEO meetup flowed smoothly from keyword research to international SEO and SEO metrics.
Here are the key takeaways from the three sessions:
Brijesh Soni on ‘The Art of Keyword Research’
Brijesh Soni’s session on keyword research provided valuable insights into finding and analyzing search terms that people use.
He emphasized the significance of understanding search intent and using this knowledge to optimize content effectively.
Key points from Brijesh Soni’s session:
- What is Keyword Research?:
- The process of discovering and analyzing search terms used by potential customers.
- Critical for content optimization, gaining a competitive edge, and increasing organic traffic.
- Types of Keywords:
- Informational: Users looking for information.
- Navigational: Users seeking a specific site.
- Commercial: Users researching products or services.
- Transactional: Users ready to complete an action, like making a purchase.
- Local Keywords: Used for finding nearby products or services.
- Long-Tail Keywords: Highly specific terms with lower search volume but less competition.
- Conducting Keyword Research:
- Brainstorm Seed Keywords: Start with broad terms related to your industry.
- Use Keyword Tools: Generate ideas and analyze metrics like search volume, competition, and relevance.
- Consider Search Intent: Ensure keywords match what users are looking for.
- Refine Your List: Balance between short-tail and long-tail keywords.
- Tools and Strategies:
- Utilizing tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs, SEMrush for keyword analysis.
- Conducting competitor analysis to identify gaps and opportunities.
- Avoiding common mistakes like keyword stuffing and neglecting search intent.
Divya Mistry on ‘SEO for International Business’
Divya Mistry’s presentation centred on strategies for optimizing SEO for international markets.
Her session was a deep dive into the essentials of international SEO and how businesses can effectively expand their reach across different countries and regions.
Key points from Divya Mistry’s session:
- Why SEO Matters:
- A significant percentage of consumers conduct extensive online research before making purchases.
- High organic rankings are crucial for visibility, as most search traffic goes to the first page of results.
- International SEO Essentials:
- Market Research: Understanding target markets and their specific needs.
- Search Engines Selection: Optimizing for different search engines like Google, Yahoo, Bing, Yandex, and Baidu.
- Domain Attribution: Using appropriate domains (ccTLDs, subdomains, or subdirectories) for different regions.
- Keywords Selection: Identifying and localizing keywords to match search behaviours in various markets.
- Website Level Checklist: Implementing hreflang tags, localized title tags, meta descriptions, and ensuring website speed and mobile usability.
- Content Strategy: Developing multilingual content that is culturally sensitive and leverages local channels.
- Analytics: Tracking geo-specific keywords, traffic, impressions, and user actions.
Viken Patel on ‘Mastering SEO KPIs’
Viken Patel kicked off the event with his presentation on SEO Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
His session focused on the importance of tracking and analyzing KPIs to measure the effectiveness of SEO efforts.
Key Points from Viken Patel’s session:
- Importance of KPIs:
- KPIs are crucial for determining whether SEO goals are being met.
- They help identify areas of success and those needing improvement.
- Data-driven decisions can be made by tracking KPIs.
- Primary KPIs to Track:
- Organic Conversions: Measures the actions that generate revenue, such as sales, leads, and subscriptions.
- Organic Visibility: Indicates brand visibility in organic search results.
- Cost Per Acquisition (CPA): Calculates the cost of acquiring one converting customer.
- Return on Investment (ROI): Assesses the financial return from SEO investments.
- Secondary KPIs:
- Organic Traffic: Total number of visitors from organic search.
- Keyword Rankings: Tracks the ranking position for specific keywords.
- Branded vs. Non-Branded Traffic: Differentiates traffic coming from brand-specific searches versus other keywords.
- Click-Through Rate (CTR): The ratio of impressions to clicks on search engine results pages (SERPs).
- Backlinks: Quantity and quality of backlinks to the website.
- User Engagement: Metrics like bounce rate, average engagement time, and engaged sessions.
Panel discussion on a journey from website development to conversion
Bhautik Sheth, a well-known figure in Gujarat’s digital marketing industry, moderated a panel discussion to conclude the event.
The discussion featured insights from Axit Mehta, Divya Mistry, Brijesh Soni, and Viken Patel, focusing on the journey from website creation to conversion.
Key Highlights from the Panel Discussion:
- Axit Mehta’s take on UI/UX and Aesthetics:
- He emphasized the importance of user-friendly design and appealing aesthetics to enhance user experience and drive conversions.
- Divya Mistry’s take on EEAT (Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness):
- She discussed the role of EEAT in building credibility and trust with users, which is crucial for achieving high rankings and conversions.
- Brijesh Soni and Viken Patel on Local SEO and Google Business Profile:
- They highlighted the importance of optimizing local SEO and maintaining an up-to-date Google Business Profile to attract local customers and improve visibility.
- Bhautik Sheth on the Importance of SEO for Businesses:
- He stressed that SEO should be a priority for business owners to ensure their websites are discoverable and can convert visitors into customers.
This meetup was supported by – S.R.Luthra Institute of Management, B.V.Patel Institute of Management, Rachnatmakam, ISTD Surat Chapter, 4M’s Kitchen, Surat IT-HR Community, and Sachin Engineering Industries Association.
The Surat SEO Meetup was a landmark event that showcased the latest trends and best practices in the SEO industry.
With expert speakers, attendees gained valuable insights into SEO KPIs, international SEO, and keyword research. The panel discussion further enriched the event by addressing practical aspects of converting website visitors into customers.
Isha Modi was the convenor, and Vishal Jhawar was the co-convenor for the event. Team iVIPANAN made this meetup a great success.
