The conference is designed to be an informal, peer-to-peer event with no set schedule. You will not be subjected to sitting through hour-long presentations, like you would at other SEO conferences, hearing about things you already know. As rcjordan, a WebMasterWorld administrator, puts it: "Well, we all pretty much agree here that the real 'pro' work done at SEO conferences - aside from slipping in a vacation on the company tab - is done at the bar after the seminars let out. So... we just decided to cut to the chase and start at the pub. Why waste all that time, eh?"

One of the key highlights of the BarConference is to engage some of the great minds in the search engine optimization and Internet marketing field. You'd be surprised how many secrets and tricks are shared! Among these will be representatives from Fast (AllTheWeb), TopDog, Overture, and many of the moderators and administrators from WebMasterWorld.

For those of you hearing about the Bar Conference for the first time you can learn more about it at www.barconference.com. Check www.pubconference.com to see about the sister event PubConference, which was a huge success.

Based on the success of PubConference this past July it has become readily apparent that this formula for a conference is very effective. Every attendee from newbies to seasoned SEO veterans was able to fully participate and many new cutting edge ideas made their way from table to table as the attendees learned from each other.

Here is what moderator Jan Rencke had to say about last year's PubConference:

"The conversation flowed as freely as the beer, when hordes of starry eyed newbies went about picking some of the world's most expensive SEO brains for free at the 531 years old Cittie of York pub in London's legal district last Saturday. Some even forgot that there was an open bar backed by generous sponsors (GoTo, Looksmart and TopDog - thank you!) so it took a full five hours before the cash registers rang out for the first time. And they kept ringing for hours until exhausted WebMasterWorld moderators and other old-timers discovered that they had had no lunch and were about to miss dinner.

Yes! The 1st annual WebMasterWorld Pub Conference was an enormous success with more than 100 members turning up, talking shop, picking brains and exchanging juicy trade secrets. 20 of them had been newly decorated with a Dalecarlian horse for posting in the European forum, signifying great savoire faire and community spirit. It didn't take long for the newcomers to figure out that these were the people to hit for free advice. (Actually, I tipped them off.) NFFC acted mother hen, running around to see that all the children were happy and had something in their glasses. (He even responded, when I shouted "Mother Hen" to call him over - how about that?) Louise Jordan, wife of rcjordan, acted social hostess and made sure that people who didn't know anyone and were shy of barging in on conversations, were introduced and set on their way - thank you Louise. Engine had made great looking nametags for all and lined up what must definitely be the world's best venue for an event of this kind - it is impossible to think of a better place. And Mike Mackin, who started the whole thing by asking the innocent question if anyone would care to join him in London for a beer and some shop talk, did - successfully - his best to look unperturbed by the fact that more than 100 persons of 10+ nationalities and from four continents responded to the invitation. He didn't even seem jetlagged by the eight-hour time difference between London and California (never play poker with Mr. Mackin).

1st prize in the TopDog contest - a TopDog licence - was won by none other than frequent European forum contributor Angiolo. He received the prize from the hands of the Top Dog himself, David Cecil, who seemed very pleased to meet in person such a large number of customers. Several newbies asked for a bit more structure, which could be easily organized next year if use were made of the 10 intimate booths lining the walls. They are normally used for barrister-solicitor meetings, but could just as easily serve as places for 45 minute mini-seminars held by WebMasterWorld moderators and repeated every hour through the day."

Pandia, who also attended the Conference and will be attending the conference in February, wrote an article recapping the PubConference.

I will be attending the conference, and I encourage all of you to attend, whether it is as a SEO client, someone with an SEO interest, an SEO service provider, or simply to rub elbows with the top SEO professionals.

Sign up for the BarConference