SearchFest 2013 drew hundreds of attendees from near and not-so-near to absorb tips & expertise on a wide range of search marketing topics from a distinguished cluster of expert speakers.
But there were a couple of other special attendees, as you might have noticed – ones with fur and claws and cute little faces that seemed to say “adopt me, adopt me!”
They were a little nervous due to the crowds (I’ve been known to be a bit shy among strangers too) but they were a big hit with attendees, many of whom stopped by to visit with Chomper (pictured at the top of this post with Theresa Brown who adopted him recently) or Candy Cane who was also recently adopted.
In fact, Chomper was Cat Adoption Team’s 30,000th adoption!
So why were there cat’s at SearchFest 2013? – I forget to mention that Cat Adoption Team (C.A.T., get it?) is our Charity of Choice this year.
Kathy Covey is currently the PR Manager for C.A.T. and she recently sent me this update on how things went at SearchFest & after:
“Monte Cristo was the first to be adopted, even before SearchFest – quite literally just a few days prior but after I built the SearchFest cat web page and we started talking about him.
“That is what happens and why social media can be so powerful for adoption of pets. I firmly believe that when you start talking about a pet for adoption, getting others involved in the conversation, something goes out into the ethers if you will and the person destined to adopt that pet is drawn in.
“Chomper was one of the kitties who made a short appearance at SearchFest with Candy Cane. He was the very nervous black cat who was very startled with all the clapping. Chomper became our 30,000th adoption on Friday! (March 15, 2013)
“Candy Cane went home pretty quick after SearchFest (again that magic). He was very outgoing and we just knew it was finding the right person who would accept that he was FIV+ (feline immunodeficiency virus). Candy was the one we brought on stage. He too was terrified of the clapping but otherwise is a super confident kitty.
“Curry, a 13 year old cat with a huge attitude, found her special person as well. We were concerned for Curry. Being 13 years old and not liking cats meant that she really did not put her best “paw” forward here in the shelter. She was cranky and stressed (being around other cats). Jennifer saw past that and took her home. Here’s the e-Tails article I did on Curry prior to her adoption.
“The two who are still waiting are Scion and Simba. They are buds/sisters in fact and it would be terrific if they could go to a home together.
“Scion is shy and will need a gentle hand to gain confidence. Perhaps that’s why having her stay with Simba, who is a very outgoing gal, will be best if possible. They are “sisters” who lived together prior to coming to CAT.
“This pair was given up to us by their owner and have been waiting for over a year to find a new home. They are not very old (just a little over 2 years) and are quite affectionate. If I had to guess why they were still here at CAT….. it would be because we really would like them to go to a home together.
“Every Tweet or social post about these cats will put them one step closer to the person who will adopt either or both of them.
“Of course, if SEMpdx members and fans prefer black cats, or white cats, or tortie cats, visit our cat & kitten adoption list and pick your favorite to promote, we won’t mind.
“The more folks who see what great cats we have available and how wonderful a pet cat is, the better.”
As our Charity of Choice for 2013, SEMpdx will be contributing 10% of our organization’s proceeds to C.A.T. as well as some of our Board Members donating time to do PPC, SEO and Social.
And, we’re also covering the cost of adoption during the month of March – so if you’ve been thinking about having a furry feline friend around the house, there’s never been a better time.
And how can you resist a face like this?
Cat Adoption Team
14175 SW Galbreath Drive
Sherwood, OR 97140
503-925-8903
contactus@catadoptionteam.org
David Portney is a published author, an experienced speaker & trainer, and proudly served on the SEMpdx Board as Charity of Choice and then Sponsorship Chair 2013-2014. David started doing SEO as a hobby in 2008 and became a professional SEO in January 2010 working for a Vancouver, WA company which focused on SEO for small businesses. He then moved to enterprise-level SEO work with Portent, Inc. headquartered in Seattle 2 years later. After 3 years with Portent, David now works as SEO Lead for 3Q Digital based in Silicon Valley. Quote: “Yes, I’m very into SEO but let’s call it passion and not obsession, okay?” Follow David on Twitter @dportney.