Athens SEO 2026: Navigating Search Engine Optimization in the AI Era
Athens, May 26 – The second annual Athens SEO conference has concluded with significant success, bringing together some of the most influential personalities in the global Search Engine Optimization (SEO) community. The event, held in Athens, featured renowned speakers such as Aleyda Solis (Orainti & Finchling), Martin Splitt (Google), Mark Williams-Cook (Candour, AlsoAsked), and Lily Ray (Amsive, Algorythmic), among others.
The SEO world is currently grappling with finding its footing in the post-AI era, making it imperative for companies worldwide to understand evolving user search behaviors. The judicious, and sometimes excessive, use of artificial intelligence can either lead to triumph or the downfall of an online presence.
Day 1: E-commerce, Entity-Based SEO, and Rebranding
The first day of Athens SEO provided insights into the rapid transformation of e-commerce through AI-driven search and its effects on brand visibility, presented by Aleyda Solis, a leading figure in global SEO. Following her, Dixon Jones, known for his work in transitioning SEO from simple keywords to entity-based SEO and AI, offered a practical framework for active promotion via AI agents like Claude and ChatGPT directly to the end-user. The day concluded with Lazaros Koutsas, Senior Organic Acquisition Specialist at Allwyn, who showcased how SEO facilitated a complex rebranding process.
Day 2: Advanced Optimizations, AI Pitfalls, and the Future of SEO
Day two of Athens SEO was characterized by high energy, interaction, and an all-star panel. Martin Splitt, Developer Relations Search & Web Ecosystem at Google, opened the day with a theatrical presentation on the journey from default web app configurations to advanced optimizations, with a focus on Javascript. Mark Williams-Cook, co-Founder of Candour and another esteemed SEO expert, delivered an entertaining slideshow that exposed the pitfalls of using Large Language Models (LLMs) and shared techniques he employs in his SEO decision-making. The highlight of the day was a panel moderated by Aris Vrakas, former head of SEO at Amazon and founder of RankBee.ai, featuring Lily Ray, often referred to as the ‘Queen of SEO,’ Dan Taylor, and John Campbell. The panel extensively discussed the post-AI era and the future of SEO, allowing the audience to engage with thoughts and questions. The conference concluded with a surprise party, where Lily Ray herself took to the decks.
The Genesis of Athens SEO
Athens SEO was founded in 2025 with the vision of establishing Greece as a European hub for Technical SEO and Artificial Intelligence in search. Eva Mermiggi, a Senior Technical SEO Consultant with eight years of experience with top global brands in London, and Frantzeska Kavvadia, with thirteen years of experience in the same market, returned to Greece to build an event that was missing from the international conference scene: one exclusively specialized in Technical SEO and AI.
In Athens, they collaborated with Andreas Georgatsos, Senior Business & Growth Consultant, to lay the foundations of the endeavor. The first year (2025) saw tickets sell out within weeks, while the second year elevated the conference to an international scale, doubling its duration and featuring speakers who advise Fortune 500 companies. The success of this initiative was also significantly bolstered by the sponsors, whose presence lent essential prestige to such an event.
Key Sponsors and Partners
The conference was supported by a range of sponsors and partners across various categories:
- Premier Sponsor: JetOctopus
- Tech Partners: Screaming Frog, Advanced Web Ranking, Papaki
- Digital Agency Partner: Red Owl
- Hub Partners: GA Agency, Passion Digital, ColdChain Agency
- Career & Recruitment Partner: withFrontier
- Community Partners: Women in Tech SEO, Opt Out, Search ‘n Stuff, SEO Brein, Whitepress, Search London, Belgrade SEO Conference
- Hospitality Partners: Taresso coffee, The Moving Spirits, Mailo’s, Le Greche
- Creative Partner: Terracube
- Travel Partner: TRVLRGUIDE
The Athens SEO conference has solidified its position as a crucial event for professionals seeking to understand and adapt to the rapid changes driven by artificial intelligence in the field of search engine optimization.
Source: skai.gr
