Table of Contents

LONDON, United Kingdom and ANTALYA, Türkiye — 15 October 2026 — After welcoming search and AI experts from the UK, Europe, the US and Türkiye at Emirates Stadium in June and Balmy Foresta, Antalya in October, the community-powered event series moves into deeper formats: a villa retreat in Sintra, holiday meetups in London, Search Cabaret in February 2027 and a retreat in Cappadocia.

Search ’n Stuff, the independent community and events platform for digital marketing professionals founded by SEO consultant Yagmur Simsek, has closed its 2026 conference season. Two flagship conferences, held four months apart in two countries, brought together more than 350 SEO, PPC, content, analytics and AI search practitioners: Search ’n Stuff London at Emirates Stadium, home of Arsenal Football Club, on 26 June, and the four-day, retreat-format Search ’n Stuff Antalya at Balmy Foresta, Kemer, from 1 to 4 October.
The Antalya edition, the third consecutive year on the Turkish Riviera, also hosted the inaugural Search ’n Stuff Awards Gala Night. With the conference stages now closed for the year, the community heads into a season of retreats, meetups and new formats that keep the conversation going between the big events.
“Antalya has always been our bridge. Speakers fly in from London, Amsterdam, Barcelona and beyond, and they share the stage with some of the sharpest practitioners in Türkiye. With simultaneous translation, nobody has to choose between learning and feeling at home. That is the room I wanted to build when I started Search ‘n Stuff, and every year it gets a little closer,” said Yagmur Simsek.

Antalya 2026: the conference the community saved

The Antalya edition exists because attendees asked for it. When Search ’n Stuff announced its move to London for 2026, many regulars said they did not want to lose Antalya. A crowdfunding campaign set a target of 50 early tickets between October 2025 and January 2026, and reached it. Backers then voted anonymously on the topics they most wanted to hear, and around 80% of the Antalya speakers were selected through that vote.

Over four days at Balmy Foresta, a five-star all-inclusive resort in Kemer, 150 attendees from the UK, Europe, the US and Türkiye shared three nights under one roof. Simultaneous English–Turkish translation meant every session could be followed in either language, and the conversations started on stage carried on over breakfast, by the pool and late into the evening. Search ’n Stuff Antalya has now welcomed at least 140–150 attendees every year, and earned a Silver award for Best New Conference at the Conference & Events Awards 2025.

Main stage, Friday 2 October. After a welcome from Yagmur Simsek and MC Begüm Kaya, the line-up covered the full breadth of modern search and growth marketing. Chris Green (Torque Partnership) argued that SEOs must become masters of data feeds. Emina Demiri-Watson (Vixen Digital) explored the standards that can wreck a marketing stack. Michael Van Den Reym (iO) demonstrated AI SEO workflows with Google AI Studio, and Tom Capper (STAT & Moz) asked how low organic can go as the SERP sinks. Hannah Zora Strong (Zora Marketing) showed how Google Ads grows local businesses, and Metehan Yeşilyurt (Peec AI) unpacked the citation patterns shaping generative engine optimisation.

In the afternoon, Mery Hayles (Adthena) shared early, data-driven lessons from ChatGPT Ads. Pieter Serraris (OMcollective) looked at what AI hallucinations teach marketers, and Baki Erfidan (WhitePress) at the role of citations in LLMs and AI Overviews. Arnout Hellemans (Onlinemarkethink) set out a marketing budget that solves attribution, Dan Truman (Duga Digital) covered building digital analytics teams from scratch, and Dawn Anderson (Bertey) went deep on information retrieval and machine learning for SEO. Judith Lewis (DeCabbit Consultancy) took the boardroom question of who owns AI visibility, and who gets the budget. Yagmur Simsek closed the day with “What If Your Community Was Your Biggest Growth Channel?”

Three panels tackled the questions the industry is wrestling with:

SEO & AI Search: Making Better Decisions with Imperfect Data in 2027, moderated by Julia-Carolin Zeng, with Natalia Witczyk (Mosquita Digital), Mark Williams-Cook (Candour & AlsoAsked), Gerry White (Dergal Ltd) and Charlie Whitworth (Whitworth – The Authentic SEO Company).
Same AI, Different Realities: What Adoption Actually Looks Like Across Industries, moderated by Mark Williams-Cook, with Vanda Pokecz (Peec AI), Anthony Barone (StudioHawk) and Naim Çetintürk (RS Holding).
The Reality of Modern Growth: Search, AI and What Actually Works, moderated by Melissa Safak (Ipsos), with Begüm Kaya (Place to Be), Bengü Sarıca Dinçer (freelance SEO & analytics consultant), Erkut Köse (3GEN), Mert Oğuz (Monz), Metehan Yeşilyurt (Peec AI) and Mustafa Mert Özçiçek.

Workshops, Saturday 3 October. The second day moved from listening to doing. Clara Soteras, Founder of PingCraft Collective, led “The Authority Game: Turning PR Actions into Digital Impact”, in which mixed teams built and pitched authority strategies for real brands. Kaan Çağlayan of 3GEN Digital Growth Agency followed with a Turkish-language workshop on how Google Ads Quality Score shapes performance campaigns. In the afternoon, “Different Roles, Shared Challenges” mixed brand, agency, freelance and SaaS professionals into small groups in the hotel gardens to swap unsolved problems.

The inaugural Search ’n Stuff Awards. The day closed with the first Search ’n Stuff Awards Gala Night, opened by Judith Lewis with a session on what judges really look for in award entries. Finalists presented live across eight categories, split between agency and in-house work, before public voting and the winner announcements.

Best AI Visibility Strategy in Search Winner: Adthena
Best SEO Growth Strategy – Joint Winners: air SEO powered by Whitworth and La Casa İstanbul × Garanti BBVA Yatırım
Best Performance Marketing Strategy – Winner: RS Oto Ekspertiz
Best Analytics & Measurement Framework – Winner: Lacoste x Ad Venture Digital

In their words: Antalya 2026

“Search ’n Stuff has been part of our journey since day one, and this was my third year in a row attending. What keeps me coming back is the community: genuinely international, welcoming, and generous with knowledge. Having it hosted in Turkey makes it even more special, bringing the global search industry to our doorstep and giving our local market a real seat at the table. Gathering so many industry leaders in one place is rare, and Search ’n Stuff does it brilliantly. We’re proud to support it, and we’ll keep showing up.”

— Baki Erfidan, Regional Manager – MENA & Turkey, WhitePress®

“Search ’n Stuff in Antalya is the perfect occasion to learn and connect. The conference was well-organised with some of the best speakers from our industry, and it was made accessible for everyone through simultaneous translation. It took place in an all-inclusive resort by the beach, which provided the best conditions for casual networking – there are really no excuses for hiding in your room!”

— Julia-Carolin Zeng, SEO Consultant, Charlie on the Move Ltd

“This was my second edition of the Search ’n Stuff conference in Antalya, and again it was an amazing experience. The set-up, where everyone is in the same hotel, leads to so many interesting conversations with other attendees and speakers, and really insightful talks spark these conversations even more. On top of that, staying in a five-star all-inclusive hotel is an amazing experience too. I will be there next year!”

— Arnout Hellemans, Senior SEO and Analytics Consultant, Onlinemarkethink

“Search ‘n Stuff Antalya is what happens when you put very smart people somewhere sunny and keep the cocktails and Turkish coffee coming. The sessions were brilliant, and they didn’t stop when the speakers left the stage, the conversations they started carried on through the side events and late into the night, with everyone happy to nerd out and share what they’re really seeing, this is why I’ve been 3 years in a row. ”

— Gerry White, SEO & GEO Consultant, Dergal

“It was my first time at a Search ’n Stuff event, but it will definitely not be my last. The speakers were top class, but it was everything else that set this event apart. The networking, the hanging out together, sharing knowledge and simply getting to know each other, all happens in a friendly and easy-going manner thanks to Yagmur, the Search ’n Stuff volunteers and simply everyone who attends this event. Looking forward to the next one!”

— Pieter Serraris, Strategy Director, OMcollective

“Search ’n Stuff Antalya combines expert rooms with senior conversations, and the organisers take care of every detail so you feel at ease and only have to focus on what matters: exchanging views and sharing experiences, often while walking and chatting in a relaxed setting. We spent it discussing where search and AI search are heading, with an eye on a 2027 that promises big changes.”

— Alfonso Moure, CEO & Tech SEO/GEO & AI Ops, bigmomo

“Search ’n Stuff Antalya is above all a community and a meeting space. For a few days you share not just knowledge, but relaxed conversations with international people from very different disciplines, and that’s where new ideas and collaborations start. I had the opportunity to run a workshop and create something practical, putting creative minds and more technical minds in the same teams, working on a different approach to knowledge and learning, creating together. You come back to your day-to-day fresh. Thank you to the whole team for making that space possible.”

— Clara Soteras, Media, SEO & Audience Growth Consultant and Founder, PingCraft Collective

“Search ’n Stuff keeps adding value, and this edition didn’t disappoint, either! I am a proud contributor to the community, and love taking part in everything Yagmur does. It was extra special this time as we celebrated the success of our community members with the Search ’n Stuff Awards. Well done, and keep going!”

— Begüm Kaya, Founder, Place to Be

“Helping with the organisation and joining a panel made Search ’n Stuff Antalya especially close to my heart. But my favourite part was having our community around from breakfast until late at night. I’m usually leaving events saying ‘we didn’t get enough time!’ In Antalya, we had time to get past the quick catch-ups, share what we’re working through and just enjoy each other’s company.”

— Bengü Sarıca Dinçer, Freelance SEO & Analytics Consultant

“The Search ‘n Stuff retreat in Antalya was my first experience of meeting the community, and everyone was so welcoming. The venue was a perfect mix of freedom to roam and relax, yet form better connections as everyone was onsite.

Most conferences are in cities, which means everyone scatters outside of the conference event. However with SnS Antalya, it was wonderful to wander the hotel grounds and bump into the Search Marketing crew – followed by invites to lunch, to the beach, to the bar! It was a great experience for those old and new to Search marketing.”

— Hannah Zora Strong, Ads Manager at Zora Marketing

London 2026: Search ’n Stuff at Emirates Stadium

The season opened on 26 June at Emirates Stadium, home of Arsenal Football Club, where the one-day conference welcomed around 150 SEO specialists, PPC professionals, analytics experts, content strategists, agency leaders, founders and in-house marketers from the UK and abroad.

The London stage featured Aleyda Solís, Lily Ray, Mark Williams-Cook, Navah Hopkins, Tom Capper, Chima Mmeje, Areej AbuAli, Helen Pollitt, Alex Moss, Ayisha Yousef, Charlie Whitworth, Jake Rudge, Lazarina Stoy and Itamar Blauer, with Katie Thompson (Katie Lingo) as MC. Charlie Marchant, CEO of Exposure Ninja, hosted a panel on content signals and brand influence in 2026 with Chima Mmeje, Areej AbuAli and Lazarina Stoy. Sessions covered AI-powered search, content quality, brand visibility, paid media innovation, measurement and automation.

In their words: London 2026

“Search ’n Stuff London was a welcoming, well-organised event. I really enjoyed being involved both as a speaker and community partner, and it was great to see such a strong mix of thoughtful conversations, industry knowledge, and genuine community throughout the day.”

— Areej AbuAli, Founder, Women in Tech SEO

“On June 26th, 2026, true history was made … the real magic was happening at Arsenal Stadium for the Search ’n Stuff Conference! Being right at the middle of SEO and GEO history on such an iconic date was unforgettable. The community vibes were electric and the speaker lineup was pure gold … A massive thank you to Yagmur Simsek for giving WhitePress® the opportunity to sponsor and for her relentless dedication to this fantastic community. We are already counting down to the next fixture!”

— Jeremy Scott, Senior International Business Development Manager, WhitePress®

“Speaking at Search ’n Stuff was a great experience. I hosted a panel discussion with industry heavyweights including Chima Mmeje, Areej AbuAli and Lazarina Stoy, speaking about content signals and brand influence in 2026. The conference brings together many of the best-known experts in the digital marketing sector, and is a friendly environment with many brilliant insights and discussions.”

— Charlie Marchant, CEO, Exposure Ninja

“What a pleasure it was to MC such a well-organised event. We saw some of the biggest names in SEO come together in a stunning location, and the atmosphere could not have been more welcoming. There was a real sense of community and I look forward to the next one.”

— Katie Thompson, Managing Director, Katie Lingo

Sponsors and partners

Both conferences were made possible by sponsors and partners who share the community’s values.

Antalya 2026 was supported by Gold Sponsors Adthena, AIR SEO, RS Holding and WhitePress® Turkey. Media partners included Belgrade SEO Conference, DAX Marketing, Edvido, SearchNorwichXL, SERP Conf., Don’t Panic and VANTAGE52. Community partners included 3GEN, Athens SEO, bigmomo, Clara Soteras, FandangoSEO, GeoGenie, Monz, Peaksense, PingCraft Collective, Search London, SEOFOMO, SE Ranking, Woohoo Digital and Women in Tech SEO.

London 2026 was supported by Gold Sponsors WhitePress® UK and StudioHawk and Silver Sponsors Advanced Web Ranking, Majestic and Candour, alongside media and community partners including GeoGenie, FandangoSEO, The Audience Club, Search London, Women in Tech SEO, Peaksense, LiftMCP, Don’t Panic, SERP Conf., Whitworth, Athens SEO, Global Cyber Security Network, SEOFOMO, What Matters Media and The Growth Collective.

What’s next: smaller rooms, deeper conversations

For Search ’n Stuff, each conference is one chapter of an ongoing story. With the 2026 conference stages closed, the community moves into formats built for depth rather than scale.

SnS Salon Search Retreat, Sintra, Portugal – 12–16 November 2026: A private villa for a maximum of 16 attendees, who work remotely side by side, share meals prepared by a private chef and each contribute a workshop or training session in a glass house used for learning and coworking. The dates fall during Web Summit week in nearby Lisbon, making Sintra an easy addition for those already travelling to Portugal.

London holiday meetups – November & December 2026: Search ’n Stuff and SEOFOMO are co-hosting a London Holiday SEO Meetup on 24 November 2026, bringing together up to 50 people for an intimate festive evening of networking, great conversations, food and drinks.

They’re also hosting the Search ’n Stuff Christmas Dinner at Kismet London on 9 December 2026, a more intimate dining experience to celebrate the year, reconnect with industry friends and make new connections over a lovely meal.

Search Cabaret, London – 2027: A new flagship evening from Search ’n Stuff built around 100 professionals across SEO, PPC, AI, content, digital PR and analytics will gather at round tables for dinner, live panels, short stage talks, curated open-mic contributions and cabaret entertainment. The evening closes with the Search ’n Stuff Awards 2027.

SnS Salon Search Retreat, Cappadocia, Türkiye – 26–30 May 2027. The second retreat takes place at Sobek Stone House in Göreme, again for a maximum of 16 guests.

Search ’n Stuff Plus: Between events, the community stays connected on Search ’n Stuff Plus, a new online community on Skool. Standard membership is free and gives access to community discussions, selected content and event updates. Premium membership adds a full recording library, a monthly members’ networking call, early access to events, speaking opportunities, and an ambassador programme that supports members to organise meetups under the Search ’n Stuff banner in their own cities. City channels are already open for London, Brighton, Dublin, Lisbon, Sintra, Rome, Istanbul, Antalya, Cappadocia and more.

“Search ’n Stuff has never been about creating the biggest event in the industry. It has always been about creating the right room,” said Yagmur Simsek. “London, Antalya, Sintra, Cappadocia and our Skool community are all part of the same room, just in different places. People come back because they feel part of something, and our job is to keep that going between the stages.”

– ENDS –

About Search ’n Stuff

Search ’n Stuff is an independent community and networking events platform for digital marketing and AI professionals, founded by SEO consultant and woman entrepreneur Yagmur Simsek. What began as intimate networking dinners has grown into an international community hosting conferences, retreats, workshops, meetups and industry dinners across the UK, Türkiye, Portugal and beyond. Search ’n Stuff brings together SEO, performance marketing, content, data and AI practitioners who care about depth, collaboration and long-term growth. Its guiding principle is simple: community over everything.

Learn more at https://searchnstuff.co.uk

Upcoming events: Sintra retreat · Cappadocia retreat · London Christmas dinner.