The digital landscape for event discovery has fundamentally changed. Event marketers can't now rely solely on traditional channels like email campaigns and PPC ads in the lead-up to their events. With Instagram posts now indexed by Google (from July 2025), and AI tools like ChatGPT becoming primary research channels, the way people discover events has evolved dramatically.

This blog summarises the key insights and takeaways from our recent webinar with ASP's resident event SEO expert Jon Monk, where we explored how search, social, and AI discovery are converging to transform event marketing.

Here's what every event marketer needs to know - and more importantly, what you can do about it.

The Instagram Game-Changer

What happened: Instagram's professional and creator accounts are now open to Google indexing by default. This means your Instagram posts can appear in Google search results, ChatGPT responses, and other AI tools.

Why it matters: Your Instagram content now has a much longer shelf life. Instead of disappearing quickly in feeds, well-crafted posts can continue driving traffic months or even years later through search engines.

The keyword connection: This development aligns Instagram with your SEO strategy. The same keywords you target on your website should now appear in your Instagram captions, alt text, and descriptions.

The New Search Reality: It's Not Just Google

People are asking longer, more specific questions than ever before. Instead of searching "AI conference," they're asking: "Help me find an AI conference that specialises in machine learning with networking opportunities located within 30 miles of London."

These detailed queries are happening across multiple platforms:

• Google (traditional search)
• ChatGPT and AI assistants
• Instagram discovery
• YouTube searches

 

Critical insight: Unless your website contains comprehensive, written information that answers these detailed questions, AI tools may provide outdated or incorrect information about your event - or worse, recommend competitors instead.

Your Content Goldmine: The Sessions You Already Record

Most event organisers are sitting on a content goldmine without realising it. Those conference sessions you're already recording? They can become your most valuable SEO assets.

The process:

• Record sessions (you're probably doing this already)
• Get transcripts (relatively inexpensive)
• Transform transcripts into optimised blog posts
• Publish with speaker attribution
• Keep them live year-round as "past sessions"

Why this works: Industry experts carry authority that your marketing team can't replicate. A blog post "by" Elon Musk about AI will always outperform the same content written by your marketing coordinator—even on the same website.

Quick Wins You Can Implement This Week

1. Audit Your Keywords

• Identify 5-10 primary keywords your target audience searches for
• Use tools like Keywords Keg or Google's Keyword Planner
• Focus on terms people use when looking for events in your sector

2. Optimise Your Instagram Strategy

• Include your target keywords in captions
• Add descriptive alt text to images
• Use keywords in Instagram Stories captions
• Ensure your account is set to "Professional" or "Creator"

3. Revamp Speaker Pages

• Create unique, comprehensive speaker bios (don't copy and paste from LinkedIn)
• Include information about their sessions
• Don't delete these pages after events - move them to a "Past Speakers" section
• One client saw 320 clicks in three months from a single past speaker page

4. Transform Your Website Into a Year-Round Resource

Instead of treating your website as an annual brochure, make it an evergreen information hub:

• Keep valuable content live year-round
• Create "Past Sessions" and "Past Speakers" libraries
• Add FAQ sections addressing common attendee questions
• Include detailed information about networking opportunities, location details, and industry focus areas

5. Internal Linking Strategy

Connect related content pieces:

• Link speaker bios to their session descriptions
• Connect session pages to related blog posts
• Create topic clusters around your event themes

The Business Case: Why This Matters Now

• Reduced marketing costs: Well-optimised websites can cut PPC campaign costs by up to 50% because higher-quality, relevant websites improve ad performance and reduce cost-per-click.
   
• Year-round lead generation: Instead of driving traffic only in the months before your event, optimised content can attract potential attendees, speakers, and exhibitors throughout the year.
   
• Exhibitor value: Show current and potential exhibitors traffic statistics for their pages throughout the year—it's a powerful sales tool for next year's event.
   
• Competitive advantage: Most event websites aren't optimised for search. Starting now puts you ahead of the curve.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don't delete valuable content after events. That speaker page driving 300+ monthly visitors? Keep it in a "Past Speakers" section rather than deleting it.

Don't hide valuable pages. All content should be accessible through your main navigation or clear internal links. Search engines need to find these pages just like humans do.

Don't ignore mobile optimisation. Google uses mobile-first indexing, so ensure your content performs well on all devices.

The AI Factor: Preparing for the Future

AI tools are only growing in popularity - usage has increased 80% in just one year. These tools need reliable, up-to-date information sources.

By making your website a comprehensive resource with detailed, accurate information about your event, industry, and expertise, you position yourself as the authoritative source AI tools will reference.

Taking Action: Start Small, Think Big

You don't need to overhaul everything at once. The event industry has been slower to adopt SEO than other sectors, which means small improvements can yield significant results.

This month:

• Research your primary keywords
• Audit and improve your top 5 speaker pages
• Start including keywords in Instagram posts

Next quarter:

• Implement a "Past Speakers/Sessions" archive strategy
• Begin converting recorded sessions into blog content
• Set up Google Search Console to track performance

Long-term:

• Develop a comprehensive content strategy around your event themes
• Create topic clusters and internal linking strategies
• Build your website into a year-round industry resource

The Bottom Line

The convergence of search, social, and AI discovery isn't coming - it's here. Event marketers who adapt now will build sustainable, year-round marketing assets that compound in value over time. Those who don't risk becoming invisible in an increasingly competitive landscape where attendees, speakers, and exhibitors discover events through multiple digital touchpoints.

Your event website should be working for you 365 days a year, not just in the months leading up to your event.

The tools and strategies to make this happen are available now - the question is whether you'll implement them before your competitors do.

Watch the Webinar 

Ready to transform your event marketing strategy?
The key is starting with keyword research and building from there. Small, consistent improvements in how you present and preserve your content can yield remarkable results in today's search-driven discovery environment.

If your event website is not working hard enough to support your paid media spend, we can help.

We offer fast, tailored SEO support for events of all sizes, from quick wins like fixing heading tags and page titles, to full content optimisation and year-round traffic strategies.

Whether you are planning your next campaign or trying to reduce PPC waste, SEO can help you:

• Improve Google rankings for the right keywords
• Build pages that convert better from paid and organic traffic
• Increase newsletter sign-ups, speaker exposure, and exhibitor leads
• Make your site more discoverable in AI search results
• Reduce your reliance on paid ads in the long run

Get in touch for an SEO review, or ask us about our Event SEO Essentials package.

Request a FREE SEO & UX Review