A Day in the Life of a Digital Marketing Degree Apprentice: BrightonSEO Edition

My name is Anika and I’m a Digital Marketing Apprentice at Elixirr Digital.

As a degree apprentice, I split my time between gaining hands-on experience in the office and studying for a digital marketing degree. This balance of working while studying helps me apply what I learn in real time and gain really valuable insights into the industry.

One of the highlights of my apprenticeship so far has been attending Brighton SEO with some of my colleagues, which was my first time attending an industry event of any kind!

In this blog I share my reflections on the event, including what I learned and how it’s helped shape my own development as a student and aspiring digital marketer.

My first impressions

Having joined Elixirr Digital straight after college, experiences like this can be a little daunting at first. But it turned out to be an amazing experience that allowed me to deepen my understanding of digital marketing, connect with industry professionals, and build confidence by stepping out of my comfort zone.

Before attending, I’d done some research on BrightonSEO so I had a vague idea of what to expect, but the event definitely exceeded my expectations!

The venue was filled with enthusiastic exhibitors and plenty of opportunities to ask questions and learn. I also found it incredibly easy to figure out what was where, thanks to clear signs and directions. Walking through a space filled with so many passionate, like-minded professionals felt slightly surreal, but in the best way. It was the perfect environment for learning and networking.

After a quick tour of the stands with my colleagues, I found the room for the first talk I wanted to attend and couldn’t wait to get started!

Ideas that had an impact on me

I was particularly looking forward to the talks on AI, as discussions around GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) were increasing at our agency right around the time of the conference. Having only been at Elixirr Digital for a month by this point, I couldn’t wait to learn more about how AI is influencing the digital marketing industry in more detail.

Not surprisingly, one of the main insights I took away was the growing influence of AI on SEO. I learned that OpenAI are planning on using their own index for ChatGPT to source information, rather than relying on existing search engines. This is fast impacting how information is found, cited, and displayed in search engine results and will lead to changes in the way that SEO specialists optimise content in the future.

Another concept that caught my attention was the difference between traditional and AI conversion funnels. With AI-driven interactions, conversions can happen within a single conversation, rather than across multiple touchpoints or sessions. This is important because it shows that although traffic from LLMs like ChatGPT is currently lower in quantity, it may be higher in quality, which highlights the importance of adapting SEO strategies to attract more meaningful engagement beyond traditional SEO.

I also discovered that AI could evolve to enable users to make transactions directly within conversations. This would have a huge impact on how we market products and services, reshaping the customer journey and making it more seamless and immediate.

In addition to everything I learned about AI, I also attended a couple talks about traditional SEO techniques and tools, including Google Search Console. As someone still new to SEO, these sessions were also incredibly valuable and gave me a stronger understanding of the practical tools and metrics that support successful digital marketing strategies.

How this experience has affected my development as a student

In both college and university, the use of generative AI tools like ChatGPT has often been frowned upon or outright rejected, although clearer guidelines are now being introduced around when and how AI can be used.

Studying while working for a company that embraces and adapts to technological change has been an interesting experience. The expectations and guidelines for using AI in education and in the workplace are very different, but I’m grateful to be part of an industry that encourages innovation. This allows me to stay on top of trends and keep adapting my approach.

I’m lucky because I get to observe how two very different environments respond to the same technological shift: the more traditional academic world, and the fast-paced, modern landscape of digital marketing.

Discussing strategies and collecting freebies!

During our breaks, my colleagues and I explored the exhibition hall to discover tools and ideas we could bring back to our team. We were particularly interested in finding the most suitable tools for AI-driven insights and managed to have conversations with several exhibitors that gave us a clearer understanding of the capabilities behind their tools.

Everyone we met was very passionate and open to discussions. At one point, I was even convinced to step into a wind-whirlpool challenge by one of the exhibitors to win my colleague a branded water bottle whilst she discussed their company’s tools and offerings! There were plenty of fun challenges like this, which showed me just how fun and friendly (but also educational) BrightonSEO is.

My tips for first-time attendees

My advice for first-time attendees to BrightonSEO is to bring a laptop or notebook because there will one hundred percent be plenty of valuable ideas and perspectives you’ll want to note down!

It’s also worth looking over the schedule before you go and choosing which talks you’re most interested in attending. Although each session is planned to be around 20 minutes long, they often run slightly over or under, which means the next talk you want to attend may have already started by the time you arrive. To get the most out of the sessions, make a list of must-see sessions and prioritise!

Even if you do arrive once a talk has started, it’s still worth attending. Many speakers share QR codes or links to the slides they presented, so you can access all the valuable information afterwards.

How this experience shaped my view of marketing

I’ve come away from BrightonSEO with a stronger awareness of how quickly our world is moving towards convenience and instant access, especially with the ways in which AI is predicted to advance. It seems clear to me that, today, there is a clear demand for short, highly digestible content. From the rise of quick, engaging reels over long-form media, to the way that AI is streamlining user journeys and speeding up conversions, the demand for fast, accessible information is influencing SEO, as well as digital marketing at large.

When I first started my apprenticeship, GEO was a developing service. Within a matter of weeks, we started adapting our approach and integrating it more deeply into our workstreams. Seeing how quickly we moved internally (and then hearing how much research and development other professionals had already done around the subject at BrightonSEO) really highlighted just how fast-paced this industry is!

It also showed me that because digital marketing evolves rapidly, staying ahead means embracing change just as quickly.

A deeper understanding of SEO

BrightonSEO has made it clear to me just how important CPD (Continuous Professional Development) is when working in such a fast-paced industry. It’s shown me that I need to continue my learning long after my apprenticeship ends. To stay ahead in my career and succeed in my apprenticeship,

I’ll need to continue developing my skills, staying curious, and actively seeking out new trends and insights where possible. With algorithms, ranking factors, and user behaviours constantly shifting, staying up to date is a core part of being an effective SEO specialist.

I’ll also be applying what I learned directly to client work, as I now have a much clearer understanding of what it means for both users and companies when a website is ranked or cited by LLMs, and how this impacts visibility and credibility.

With these insights, I feel better equipped to optimise content and pages in a way that aligns with how AI-driven search works, ensuring stronger results for clients moving forward.

My final thoughts

I’m incredibly grateful for this experience and feel far more confident about attending events like this in the future. BrightonSEO showed me just how valuable learning opportunities such as conferences and workshops can be, not only for developing technical skills but also for building confidence and strengthening soft skills.

I’d encourage anyone, whether they’re early in their career or more experienced, to take advantage of opportunities like this. Even online courses or virtual workshops can offer different perspectives and spark new ideas whilst supporting CPD.

Explore our GEO resources

Experiences like this also highlight just how important it is for businesses to stay visible and competitive online. If you’re interested in exploring how GEO strategies can support growth, check out our GEO service page or read our article on Building the Foundation for Generative Engine Optimisation.