Freelance SEO Essex at TFM&A 2013!

As you’d expect, the FSE team have been extremely busy managing campaigns, but that didn’t stop us from hopping on the tube to have a wander round last week’s TFM&A exhibition in London. The show took place at Earl’s Court 2 from 26 – 27 February and hosted pitches from some of the online marketing industry’s most well-respected agencies and suppliers, which gave us the chance to bounce ideas off our peers and catch up with other like-minded SEOs. It was time out of the office well-spent and we found it really interesting to speak with other agencies as well as a number of marketing representatives who were actively searching for an advertising partner.

So aside from sitting in on some thought-provoking seminars and picking up dozens of free brochures, what did we take away from the event? Well, aside from frequenting the Hotel Chocolat stand for some freebies, we were amazed by how the dynamics of a typical trade show have changed in recent years.

Most companies traditionally expect to pick up business opportunities from industry exhibitions, but to us it seems as though this isn’t the primary objective of TFM&A any more (or many of the other big shows, in fact). We noticed that the emphasis now seems to lie on actually sharing ideas rather than showcasing products or services. The trade show floor isn’t just a stage for what’s hot in the industry – it now gives you the chance to learn how to apply everything that’s new to your own individual business model. This isn’t just great news for marketing executives who are trying to boost exposure for their company. It’s a positive thing for us SEOs, too, because it opens up the industry and dispels some of the mystery that surrounds search engine marketing.

Sometimes it’s good to take a step back and look at the current state of SEO with fresh eyes. Spending several hours in such a buzzing atmosphere really inspired us and we’re looking forward to applying ideas from TFM&A to our clients’ campaigns and, of course, our own SEO marketing strategy.  Here’s to TFM&A 2014!