HIVE MCR Recap: Key Takeaways from our Tech SEO team

The HIVE MCR Recap: Key Takeaways and Highlights

The other week, two of our talented Tech SEO team attended HIVE MCR – a new SEO conference formed by Charlie Whitworth and Whitworth SEO. Hosted in the New Century Hall in Manchester, HIVE MCR provides a fresh take on SEO conferences. With expert moderators including Stephen Kenwright, Charlie Whitworth and James Hayward-Browne, the conference was rooted in an exhaustive understanding of the Organic Search industry. 

David Afonso, Technical SEO Analyst shared his key takeaways from the day: 

 David’s Key Takeaways

1. Cloudflare's Capabilities:

I was blown away by how powerful Cloudflare actually is. The future of SEO lies at the edge, and Cloudflare is leading the way. One standout idea was using `hreflang` for timezones—a fresh concept I can’t wait to experiment with. 

2. Going Beyond Recommendations in Technical SEO:

It simply is not enough for Technical SEOs to simply present recommendations—we need to actively influence implementation. One key insight I gained was that C-level executives often respond better when you frame SEO strategies in comparison to their competitors, leveraging their fear of missing out on opportunities.

3. Unpredictable Influences on Digital PR:

Global events like climate change, US and UK elections, and even pop culture phenomena like Taylor Swift can impact your Digital PR strategy. Planning ahead is vital, and having a backup plan (or two!) is a must.

4. Accessibility and SEO:

 I’ve always understood that what’s good for accessibility is generally good for SEO. This will become even more important with the European Accessibility Act (EAA) coming into effect next year. Even if the UK doesn’t adopt it, businesses will still be affected.

5. Shout-Out to HIVE MCR:

Hats off to Charlie Whitworth for hosting what I believe to be the best SEO event in Manchester!

Ziggy Shtrosberg, Senior Technical SEO Analyst shared his key takeaways:

 Ziggy’s Key Takeaways

1. Jono Alderson’s Going Over The Edge Presentation:

Jono Alderson’s talk on Cloudflare’s edge network was eye-opening. He highlighted how edge technology can significantly enhance website speed and intelligence. For example, caching third-party scripts with a web worker to serve them from your own domain, or normalising URLs to manage UTM tracking. These are techniques I’m excited to implement!

2. Billie Geena Hyde: SEO & Accessibility: A Love Story:

Billie’s talk on SEO and accessibility was a strong reminder of the responsibility we have as SEO professionals to champion web accessibility. With the European Accessibility Act (EAA) coming into force next year, now is the time to start preparing. She stressed the importance of testing websites under various conditions—whether that’s with no JavaScript, on a text-only browser, at 200% zoom, or with a screen reader.

3. Luke Carthy: 10 Simple Yet Powerful SEO & CRO Wins for eCommerce:

Luke’s session was packed with practical advice for eCommerce sites. A key takeaway for me was the importance of optimising internal site search—ensuring that synonyms like ‘settee’ and ‘sofa’ yield the same results. Other tips included hosting your own discount page, enabling guest checkout, and addressing customer questions with FAQs.

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HIVE MCR was a fantastic experience for both David and Ziggy, providing them with valuable insights that will shape our SEO strategies moving forward. The event highlighted the growing importance of edge computing, accessibility, and practical SEO strategies. We’re excited to bring these ideas back to 26pmx and look forward to the next HIVE MCR!

For more information regarding our SEO services, visit: https://26pmx.com/services/