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Every SEO specialist dreams of one day speaking at BrightonSEO. For me, it was in 2019 that this idea first came up seriously. At the time, I intended to share my story, but as for many, the pandemic put a spanner in the works. Covid came unexpectedly and the busyness of my day-to-day work meant it never happened. Five years later, I finally got the chance, and in October 2024 I stood on that coveted stage.
My presentation at BrightonSEO was about a subject close to my heart: the power of cognitive diversity in marketing and SEO teams. The marketing world is changing fast, and we increasingly see that diversity, not only in a demographic sense but above all in thinking patterns, is a driving force behind innovation and growth.
As the founder of a digital marketing agency, I've experienced the importance of diversity first-hand. When putting teams together, I look not only at technical skills, but also at different perspectives and ways of thinking. This combination makes it possible to develop more effective strategies and respond faster to changes in the market.
Watch my full BrightonSEO presentation below, in which I go deeper into how cognitive diversity helps accelerate growth, both personally and professionally. In the presentation, I not only discuss my experiences, but also give practical tips for applying diversity within your own team.
“Teams that are cognitively diverse are 60% more likely to understand and anticipate changes in customer needs.” (Deloitte, 2017)
The 31 slides include:
View all 31 slides on Slideshare →
Diversity is a popular subject these days, especially in companies. Often it's about outward characteristics, such as skin colour or gender. But real diversity goes further. When my girlfriend once said to me: “You and your friends look diverse, but you all think the same,” it opened my eyes.
Since then, I've focused on cognitive diversity: different ways of thinking. It's not just about hiring people who look different, but people who think differently. Only then can companies really benefit from innovation and growth. Diversity is more than appearance; it's about new perspectives and insights.
During my presentation, I told how my own journey, from my first steps in the SEO world in 2017 to founding my own company, gave me insight into the value of diversity. During that time, I saw various teams struggle with a lack of innovation. The common denominator? A lack of variety in thinking styles. Only when I started actively involving people with different backgrounds and ideas did I see real growth.
In my presentation, I emphasised that we're often stuck in standard approaches to problem-solving. By encouraging people with diverse perspectives and valuing their unique contributions, companies can grow, both personally and professionally.
During the presentation, I also shared some practical tips on how to apply cognitive diversity in your own team. One of the most important lessons is that diversity isn't something that happens by itself. It takes conscious effort to get different voices at the table and make sure they're heard.
For example, in brainstorming sessions I make sure everyone has their say, even those who are naturally more introverted. This has led not only to better SEO strategies, but also to a working environment in which people feel valued.
BrightonSEO gave me the chance to share my story and present my vision of diversity to an audience that's just as passionate about SEO and marketing as I am. This was an opportunity I'd been looking forward to for a long time, and I'm grateful that I was finally able to share my personal and professional lessons.
