There’s nothing quite like being in a room full of powerhouse women all laser-focused on the technical side of SEO. It’s my dream, and the Women in Tech SEO Fest that Megan and I attended last week in Philadelphia did not disappoint in that respect. Being surrounded by brilliant women pushing the boundaries of search made me walk away with a fresh burst of energy and SEO ideas.
Here are my top 5 SEO takeaways that I’m already diving into for our awesome clients at Trebletree:
1. EEAT Isn’t Just a Buzzword
Bianca Anderson’s session on EEAT was a killer way to kick off the conference, piquing my geeky curiosity with her epic Star Wars-themed deck. But beyond the fun theme, the content was packed with insights that got my wheels turning. Bianca laid out a clear strategy on how to approach EEAT—focusing on pruning outdated content, mapping authorship to showcase expertise, and keeping content fresh by consistently tying it back to core pillars. Her advice made it clear that EEAT isn’t just a checkbox for SEO, but a long-term commitment to maintaining authority and trustworthiness.
One of my biggest takeaways from Bianca’s session was her recommendation to start with the top 20% of URLs that drive the most traffic. Instead of trying to overhaul everything at once, this targeted approach allows you to focus on the content that matters most and has the highest impact.
Another crucial point was the importance of personalizing and truncating articles. Bianca emphasized that cutting down on unnecessary fluff and centering articles around the author’s expertise not only makes content more engaging but also positions it as a reliable source of information. By tightening up your content and showcasing personal insights, you’re proving to both users and search engines that your site is a trustworthy authority—exactly what EEAT is all about.
2. BigQuery = Big Opportunities
Sam Torres’s session on BigQuery? Absolutely mind-blowing. But let’s be real—I’m the data geek over here at Trebletree, so I was in heaven as Sam wove the story of the importance of owning your data and how to set up powerful data analysis using BigQuery. She broke it down step by step, giving us actionable takeaways on how to export data from Google Search Console and GA4, and making it all feel accessible, even if you’re not knee-deep in SQL every day.
The true potential of BigQuery lies in its ability to handle massive datasets without the limitations of sampling errors. With it, SEOs can dive deep into keyword performance, track user behavior across millions of events, and even create custom reports that unlock next-level insights. From understanding long-term search trends to pinpointing high-impact pages for optimization, BigQuery puts the power back in your hands. Sam’s session made it clear that BigQuery isn’t just for data scientists—it’s a must-have tool for any technical SEO serious about scaling their data analysis and driving strategic decisions.
3. Local Search is Changing, Fast
Krystal Taing’s session really drove home how much local search has shifted, especially with the explosion of “open now near me” searches. With a 400% increase in those queries, businesses need to be more strategic about how they show up when customers are ready to act. What really got my attention was how platforms like TikTok and YouTube are playing a bigger role in local discovery. Google’s still important, but it’s no longer the only player in town.
Krystal’s case studies, like KFC’s use of localized Q&As on Google Business Profiles, showed the value of getting granular with local strategies. It’s not just about filling out your profile; it’s about leveraging things like photos, menu updates, and customer Q&As to capture local intent.
4. AI Bias is Real—And We Need to Talk About It
Kavi Kardos’s talk on AI and its limitations was eye-opening. We’re all excited about the potential of generative AI (and we use it actively at Trebletree), but it comes with real challenges – like inherent bias in language models. These models are trained on massive data sets that reflect all kinds of biases from the real world, and that can easily skew results if left unchecked. As SEOs and digital strategists, we have a responsibility to understand these biases and actively work to prevent them from creeping into the content we produce.
Kavi also touched on what she called “brain rot”—the risk of relying too heavily on AI, to the point where it dulls critical thinking and creativity. The more we depend on AI, the more important it is to have human oversight guiding it. Without proper governance and accountability, we risk not only publishing inaccurate or biased content but also losing the trust of our audience. The takeaway here is clear: AI is a tool, not a replacement for human judgment. We need to use it responsibly, keeping a close eye on how it shapes our work and ensuring that our content remains accurate, ethical, and fair.
5. Schema for the Win
Jamie D’Alessandro’s session on holiday eCommerce strategies had a lot to offer, but what really stuck with me was the importance of schema. I’ve always been a strong advocate for schema—it’s our way of speaking Google’s language. While it may not always be the biggest ranking factor, making your site easier for Google to crawl and understand is a win.
Energized and Ready to Implement
Now that we’re back from Women in Tech SEO Fest, we’re energized and ready to start implementing these insights for our clients. Whether it’s diving deeper into EEAT strategies, leveraging the power of BigQuery, taking GBPs to the next level, or making sure schema is dialed in, we’ve got a lot of actionable takeaways to put into practice. It’s always exciting to return from an event like this with fresh ideas, and we can’t wait to see the impact they’ll have on the projects we’re working on.
