On Thursday night a group of Treehouse employees gathered at The Grove, a startup work space in New Haven, to hear SEO and Internet Marketing guru, Barry Schwartz, speak live. Barry Schwartz is an editor at SearchEngineLand.com and the CEO of RustyBrick, a web service firm that produces customized online technology to help companies increase sales while avoiding high cost. He is also the founder of the Search Engine Roundtable and the News Editor at Search Engine Land.

This event was sponsored by Search Engine Marketing New England (SEMNE), a local association of search marketers. Treehousers sipped wine and munched on hors d’oeuvres while mingling with other attendees. Shortly after, all were seated to listen to advice on how to maximize search engine presence and improve website performance. With over 15 years of experience in the industry, Barry Schwartz shared an abundance of knowledge along with witty anecdotes and a colorful, “Periodic Table of SEO Success Factors” worksheet created by Search Engine Land for attendees to follow as he delivered his presentation.

He outlined factors that make a huge difference to both searchers and search engines, such as quality content, proper HTML use and the architecture of a site. The Treehouse Internet Group’s newest Account Manager, Brittany Keith, enjoyed the fact that Barry described SEO in a way that was easily relatable. “Barry held my attention the entire time. He clearly defined and organized some of the best practices for successful SEO while making the room erupt in laughter along the way!” she said.

The night proved to be nothing short of a success - valuable insights from a top internet marketer and actionable recommendations. All in all it was a great time centered around two things Treehousers just can’t get enough of: food and SEO!