Why This Blog Exists And Who It’s For – Event Marketing Strategy
17/08/2025
The Discovery Shift: AI SEO for Events
06/09/2025
Why Your Event Team Can’t Do SEO Alone, And What You Need Instead
Many event teams treat SEO like a “nice-to-have.” The truth? Without the right support, it never gets done properly and the long-term cost is enormous.
When “We’ll Just Handle SEO Ourselves” Doesn’t Work
The biggest problem isn’t willpower. It’s structure.
Event marketing teams are typically built for campaign execution. That means high-tempo sprints: email sends, paid ads, speaker assets, social content. Everything is deadline-driven and immediate.
SEO doesn’t work like that.
It rewards consistency, not urgency. It needs deep thinking, not just fast doing. That’s why it often gets sidelined even by well-meaning teams who want to do it properly.
As John Jantsch, founder of Duct Tape Marketing, puts it:
“Marketing is a system. In fact, it’s the most important system in your business.”
That mindset applies perfectly to SEO. You can’t wing it. You have to systemise it. Without a clear SEO strategy, your site will struggle to gain online visibility or attract consistent organic search traffic.
What SEO Actually Requires
Let’s break this down.
Here’s what proper SEO support actually looks like:
- Content strategy: Understanding search intent and mapping topics to traffic opportunities
- Technical SEO audits: Identifying crawl errors, site speed issues, and structured data gaps
- On-page SEO: Structuring headings, copy, and images for both humans and algorithms
- Keyword optimisation: Choosing the right terms, not just stuffing in generic phrases
- Schema markup: Enhancing your content with contextual metadata for search engines
- Mobile responsiveness: Making sure your site adapts flawlessly to all screens
- International SEO: Handling language, region, and domain considerations across global markets
- Ongoing analysis: Reviewing Google Analytics and Search Console data to adapt to changes
- Workflow alignment: Making sure pages don’t vanish, redirects are in place, and content is built to last
This isn’t a “nice to have.” It’s the price of being found online.
And here’s the real kicker: your internal team probably isn’t resourced for any of it.
Why Hire an SEO Agency? (Yes, Even If You Have Marketers)
Let’s address the search term directly: why hire an SEO agency?
Because SEO is a specialism. Just like you wouldn’t ask your paid media person to write code, you shouldn’t expect your event marketer to build an SEO system from scratch.
An external SEO company brings:
- Dedicated focus: They’re not juggling 12 competing show priorities
- Up-to-date knowledge: They keep track of every algorithm update and what it means for you
- Unbiased insights: They see your site the way Google sees it
- Systems and tools: From SEO audits to performance tracking and conversion funnel analysis
- Strategic expertise: Including competitor analysis, target market alignment, and sitewide ranking factor improvements
A blog from Design at Work puts it simply:
“By working with an external team, you’ll gain a different view of your business… The best agencies… help you identify new opportunities and strategies.”
Hiring SEO support doesn’t mean handing over control. It means getting the scaffolding right, so your internal team can build on it.
Quick Wins: How to Get Help Without Hiring Full-Time
If you’re not ready for a full agency partnership, here’s what you can do right now:
- Audit your site structure: Are your menus and URLs aligned to real search queries?
- Archive wisely: Don’t delete old speaker/session pages repurpose content for new relevance
- Create topic pages: Go beyond brand terms; target the organic search results your audience is looking for
- Get external input quarterly: Even a lightweight SEO strategist can surface quick wins
- Train your team: Even your in-house SEO resource needs support keeping up with best practices
The Real Shift: From Campaign Thinking to Compound Growth
SEO isn’t about hacking rankings. It’s about building momentum.
Every optimised speaker profile, well-structured blog post, or detailed session recap is an asset. A compounder. But only if:
- It’s technically sound
- The user experience is considered
- It’s written to match actual search intent
- It’s measured and maintained over time
Most event industry sites have hundreds or thousands of pages. But if the structure, internal linking, or keyword focus is missing, Google sees it as noise. No wonder so many event teams believe “SEO doesn’t work.”
It’s not that SEO doesn’t work. It’s that SEO expertise hasn’t been applied.
Final Thought
If your event website is only working hard two months a year, it’s time to change the model.
Start thinking of SEO not as a task, but as a system one your internal team can’t build alone, but absolutely can lead with the right support.
Let the campaign thinkers run the show. But let SEO lay the tracks beneath it.
Further Reading
- Digital Marketing Agency vs In‑House: Cost Breakdown & How to Choose HubSpot outlines the trade-offs between agency and in-house teams. (HubSpot)
- Enterprise SEO Agency vs. In‑House SEO Team: What to Consider Search Engine Land offers an enterprise perspective. (Search Engine Land)
- How to Hire an SEO Agency: The Definitive Guide Search Engine Land provides a step-by-step roadmap. (Search Engine Land)
- The Value of an In‑House SEO Why even the best agencies need an internal champion. (Search Engine Land)
- Agency Vs. In‑House Marketing: What’s Best For Your Business? Insights from IMPACT Branding. (IMPACT)
- In‑House Marketing vs Agency Marketing WSI World weighs up control vs capacity. (WSI World)
- Agency vs In‑House Marketing: What Should You Choose? Nectafy on how to blend strengths. (Nectafy)
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