In the competitive SEO industry, two principles consistently stand out: building strong community connections and embracing a "work hard, play harder" mindset.

This year at Brighton SEO San Diego, Rise at Seven embodied both, bringing together talented SEOs for a celebration of strategy, innovation, and community.

The highlight of the event? A yacht cruise around the stunning San Diego Harbour.

It was an evening filled with drinks, laughter, and the kind of memories that remind us why connection is key in this industry. Taking time to step back and celebrate the people driving SEO forward was a powerful reminder of the importance of human connection in a digital world.

Of course, the event wasn’t all about socialising. Brighton SEO hosted insightful discussions about the ever-changing SEO landscape, and Rise at Seven was part of the conversation, sharing strategies to navigate the challenges of today’s digital ecosystem while meeting evolving consumer needs.

Watch our Yacht Mixer clip here.

Post Yacht Mixer, our CEO, Carrie Rose took to the stage and delivered an insightful talk talking all things diversifying your organic traffic using brand tactics.

Check out the key points that she shared:

Adapting to Google’s Chaotic Updates: From new visual features and ads dominating SERPs to skyrocketing impressions that don’t always translate into clicks, the rules of SEO are shifting. It’s no longer enough to view your website as the “final touchpoint.” Today’s consumer journey spans exploration and evaluation stages, making a search-first marketing strategy essential to navigating the "messy middle."

Integrating Brand-Led Tactics: SEO today is as much about building brand awareness as it is about earning links. By targeting branded searches on platforms like TikTok or leveraging short-form videos that appear in SERPs, SEOs can better meet their audience’s needs while addressing social search intent.

The Growing Role of User-Generated Content: User-generated content on platforms like TikTok has become a significant part of modern SEO. It’s no longer just about appearing in search results—it’s about being present where audiences are most engaged, whether that’s on Google or social platforms.

To succeed in this evolving space, brands need to align search intent with consumer demand while also participating in relevant conversations. From crafting short videos that resonate on SERPs to connecting brands with the right audiences, the future of SEO will require a mix of creativity, strategy, and adaptability.

Check out the full deck here

Carrie Rose, our Founder spends 90% of her time in the market to see which way the wind is blowing in the industry.

She says “Contrary to what Twitter is saying that SEO is dead, I’m probably the most excited about where the industry is heading because actually what is dead is traditional SEO audits and basic blog editorial.

We will see more integrated marketing work than ever before and SEO have a larger say around the table. I think search has the potential to no longer be a budget line in a marketing plan but a behaviour and a way of doing things - search is the way people behave, and can inform every part of marketing in our future.

Multi channel search is here but actually what multi channel search is offsite content marketing, optimised for search and visible in SERPs and the role we connect it with onsite.

Eli Schultz puts it nicely here, "from 1997- 2017, search was an excellent place to start marketing. Today, search is largely a reward for doing marketing right everywhere else."

My advice - learn everything you can about the user journey, content marketing, and make friends with social, brand and PR. It will be integral for SEO success."

This year Brighton SEO San Diego wasn’t just a conference; it was a celebration of how far SEO has come—and where it’s heading next. At Rise at Seven, the commitment to pushing boundaries while embracing the human side of the industry remains stronger than ever—whether it’s on stage speaking or out on a yacht connecting.

If you want to be at the next one, make sure sign up here and connect with us on LinkedIn.