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Agenda

Two full days. Plus more for those who want to go further.

Every session is curated for impact. Built for use first, and also built to spark ideas that carry into your work the next day.

Want to go deeper? Kick things off with pre-event workshops. Conversations start before the main stage does.

06:00

Community Run

Kick off the day with a guided, 3-mile, waterfront run through San Diego.

07:30

Registration & Networking

Check in, grab your badge, and connect with fellow attendees over coffee before sessions begin.

09:30

Welcome to Evolve

Tim Soulo, CMO of Ahrefs, officially opens Evolve and sets the tone for what’s ahead.
Tim Soulo, Chief Marketing Officer, Ahrefs

09:45

How To Win In The New Search Era: Reddit, YouTube & Backlinks

How to build a repeatable, scalable content distribution engine that actually works in today’s landscape. This talk breaks down how to leverage both traditional and modern AI distribution tactics tools so your content consistently reaches the right people, in the right place, at the right time.
Ross Simmonds, Founder & CEO, Foundation Marketing, Distribution.ai

10:15

Coming soon

Ann Handley, Wall Street Journal Best-Selling Author, Speaker, Partner, MarketingProfs

10:45

Tea Break & Networking

Pause to recharge with tea, coffee, and light refreshments. Use this time to connect with fellow marketers, meet speakers, explore sponsor booths, or continue conversations sparked on stage. Some of the best ideas happen between sessions. This is your space to reset, reflect, and build meaningful connections.

11:15

Coming soon

Patrick Stox, Product Advisor, Technical SEO, & Brand Ambassador, Ahrefs

11:45

Debunking The Myths: SEO & AEO Trends in Growth of AI

In this keynote, Ethan Smith (CEO at Graphite) shares new research on how search is evolving in the age of AI. Drawing on original studies and fresh data, he challenges common myths around SEO and AEO while unpacking the rapid shift toward AI-driven discovery. The session highlights emerging risks, structural changes in how models surface information, and why few brands currently capture meaningful AEO visibility. The talk closes with practical insights on how companies can adapt their growth strategies for AI search.
Ethan Smith, CEO, Graphite

12:15

How We Built 1,000 Agents by Making Failure Promotable

In 2024 Chili Piper created an internal Slack channel where anyone in the org could post tasks that drained them. After seeing all the submissions, the co-CEOs made a bold bet: experimentation to build agents would become part of promotion tracks. The attempt to build an agent (even if it failed) would count towards career growth... Alina will breakdown the playbook: incentive structures that reward experimentation, patterns seen from building hundreds of agents, and what she'd do differently if she started over.
Alina Vandenberghe, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Chili Piper

12:45

Networking Lunch

Take a break and refuel with a curated lunch alongside fellow marketers, founders, and operators. Use this time to deepen conversations from the morning sessions, meet new peers, or visit sponsor booths.

14:00

Coming soon

Harry Dry, Founder, Marketing Examples

14:30

Sponsor Spotlight

Tim Soulo brings sponsors on stage and asks the questions everyone is thinking. Expect candid answers, sharp follow-ups, and zero scripted dialogue. Think part spotlight, part roast.
Tim Soulo, Chief Marketing Officer, Ahrefs

15:00

The New Viral

The new viral: Most brands are still chasing mass virality when that's not the only (or most impactful) way that trends spread anymore. I break down the three types of viral I've identified and why the trust creators have with their audiences is the one thing AI can't manufacture.
Brianna Doe, Founder & CEO, Creator, Verbatim, Stop the Scroll

15:30

Tea Break & Networking

Pause to recharge with tea, coffee, and light refreshments. Use this time to connect with fellow marketers, meet speakers, explore sponsor booths, or continue conversations sparked on stage. Some of the best ideas happen between sessions. This is your space to reset, reflect, and build meaningful connections.

16:00

Small Talks

Lightning-fast talks from the audience. Step on stage and share a quick idea, insight, or experiment on AEO & search, or what’s working right now. This will be raw, real, and relevant!

17:00

Happy Hour & Networking

Join us for Happy Hour after Day 1. Grab a drink, connect with fellow attendees, and keep the conversations going. Whether you’re debating AEO, sharing growth experiments, or just meeting new faces, this is your chance to unwind in a more informal setting and build relationships beyond the sessions.

THE COMMUNITY PITCH

Meet the speakers

Evolve is where the Ahrefs community becomes real. Not names in a Slack channel or faces on a webinar — the actual people solving the same problems you are. Comparing workflows. Trading ideas. Pressure-testing how they work.

Meet the full lineup
Harry Dry

Harry Dry

Founder, Marketing Examples

Brianna Doe

Brianna Doe

Founder & CEO, Creator, Verbatim, Stop the Scroll

Two days that pay off the rest of the year

Set your direction for 2027 while others are still catching up. Meet people you want to stay in touch with. You'll leave knowing exactly what to do next.

October 12–13San Diego2026
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