You know the big SEO conferences. These popular corporate-friendly events have been active for years and are perennial staples for thousands of digital marketers looking for the next big "thing" in SEO.
Then, there's the disruptor: UnGagged.
UnGagged is the anti-conference. It's an event that attracts speakers and attendees unafraid of sharing cutting-edge search tactics. A conference built around secrecy and rebellion, going against the typical conference 'grain'.
By this article's end, you'll understand why a conference like UnGagged was created and get a glimpse behind the veil of what goes on at the event.
UnGagged Las Vegas Conference 2018
The Trouble with Conferences
Conferences are a stellar way to network and mingle with like-minded professionals. These events provide insights and takeaways to improve one's work or business efforts.
But then you have to suffer through...
Cringe-Inducing Pitchfests
Have you ever noticed most presentations turn into sales pitches?
The presenter:
- Uses the first 1/2 to tell their story
- Spends a few minutes talking strategy
- Then flips the strategy so that it's only actionable with their service
- Ends the presentation with one or more pitches
- Turns the Q&A into a tease telling people to visit a site/service
It's not an industry secret that many presenters are there to help sell tickets. Their names work wonders in terms of marketing impact, but their thinly-disguised recycled presentations often cover topics already available on their site. More often than not, instead of seeing you as a peer, they see you as a competitor, and they keep their bragging rights to themselves.
Same Ol', Same Ol'
Many presenters run the SEO/Digital Marketing conference circuit with a session that's used and refined at smaller events, then it's touched-up and presented at the bigger events. Rinse and repeat until it's evergreen and toothless. One wonders if their skills are effective as many haven't been "deep" into the scene in years. You'll hear a lot of generalized information from baseline experiences or scripts fed to them from their dedicated sales and marketing.
Conference Parasites
Some speakers are there for validation and social signals as opposed to education and networking; everything is recorded, influencers are tagged, and the material is on their blog the next day. It's not uncommon seeing a person's "hype crew", either. The crew's whole purpose of spreading their gospel. It's like they've infiltrated the conference with their sales team.
The Feel-Gooders
Some people love 'em, others can't help but groan. These are the motivational speakers with inspiring stories and life lessons. But, their presentation feels so out of place when so many attend to learn technicals. Go to a TEDx talk if you want a feel-good story.
Other presenters share outdated, sometimes detrimental, advice, too! They're not in it to educate, so where are the speakers that actually want to share information that'll make you a better marketer?
For those wanting substance...UnGagged: A Conference That Doesn't Suck
UnGagged, the UnConvention exploded on the scene in 2014. UnGagged's intent? To disrupt the conventional, digital marketing conventions.
The ethos is simple but powerful:- Don't hold back and share your best knowledge
- Ban all recording devices so people aren't holdoff-ish
- The ethos attracts rebels and outliers in the world of digital marketing.
What could one expect at an UnGagged conference?
Industry Outliers
UnGagged attracts a myriad of industry outliers including names like:
- Catfish Comstock - 20+ years of SEO experience
- Dave Snyder - CEO of CopyPress
- Jill Quick - Co-Founder of The Coloring in Department
- Robert Hansen - CTO of Bit discovery
- Judith Lewis - Founder of DeCabbit Consultancy
These professionals have a combined lifetime of SEO and digital marketing experience, and, they're not afraid to share their best-kept secrets. Speakers cover a wide net of industry topics that can be used is most verticals; the conference attracts some big brand names like CBS Interactive, JustEat, Trivago, LinkedIn, BrightLocal, and more.
Small environments create better opportunities to ask questions and receive feedback. UnGagged offers a 1:16 ratio helping questions get answers from the most hardcore of SEOs.
No RecordingNo recordings are allowed at and during UnGagged.
Why does this matter?
- Speakers and attendees are less likely to hold back.
- It removes the "rock star" mentality of one up-ism.
- Denying recording largely removes the incentives of turning presentations in pitches.
- The shared information is directed at its attendees. Compare this to the eventual audience when video recordings are released. (And, sometimes monetized.)
Attendees are open to sharing best tactics without it ripped and used against them. This includes deep dives into popular topics like SEO, SEM, and mobile. Or, content, link building, and visual media. With the sales incentive out of the way, everyone shares great ideas while providing excellent feedback. This is the culture and ethos found in the "UnCrowd".
Can't wait to get back to the hotel room to explore the topics? Not so fast, there's still masterclasses to attend! UnGagged offers several hands-on workshops offering intimate sessions connecting attendees to industry professionals.
Workshops are perfect for gaining expert-level knowledge beyond what's possible in an hour-long session. Workshop attendees receive actionable advice in a powerhouse 1-day Masterclass session set.
All-Inclusive What's included when attending:- 3-day event
- 3 knowledge tracks
- 40+ in-depth sessions
- Networking
- WiFi
- Catered meals
- Plus, the backdrop of beautiful Las Vegas.
- Plenty of extra networking potential and after parties abound.
These items included with ticket purchase.
Ready to attend the disruptor of SEO conferences?
The next UnGagged conference is in beautiful Las Vegas, November 4-7th. Early Bird tickets are available now.
