Peter Macinkovic: Competitive SEO & Breaking Rules - Melbourne SEO Meetup

Welcome to the Melbourne SEO Collective's February 2026 meetup!

We're kicking off the new year at an exciting new venue – Easygo's office in the heart of Melbourne CBD!

Join us at Lvl 3, 271 Collins St (Central Lifts, arrive 6pm - 6:30pm to be let up)

This month, one of our hosts Peter Macinkovic takes centre stage with his popular presentation from Search Marketing Conference Melbourne 2025: "Dominating the World's Most Competitive Keywords (While Breaking Every SEO Rule)" – also known as the Blind Salamander talk.

Get ready for expert insights, thought-provoking discussion, networking, and of course, tasty food and drinks – all on the house.
Don't forget to RSVP and secure your spot!

Don't forget to RSVP and secure your spot for this essential session!
Important: Only RSVP'd attendees can attend, so please confirm your attendance by midday, Monday February 2nd!

• Nik Ranger - Senior SEO Consultant at Dejan Marketing
• Peter Macinkovic - SEO Lead at Easygo Gaming
  

• 6pm - 6.30pm Networking, food and beverages
• 6.30pm Introduce SEO Collective, Acknowledgement Of Traditional Owners, Introduction of Keynote Speakers, Sponsors
• 6.30pm-6.55pm SEO news, algorithm updates, SERP volatility
• 6.55pm -7.00pm Intermission
• 7.00pm - 7.45pm Peter Macinkovic Keynote
• 7.45pm - 8.00pm Q&A
• 8.00pm Networking and beverages

RSVP now and be there!

"Dominating the World's Most Competitive Keywords (While Breaking Every SEO Rule)"

What can a blind, translucent salamander living in a Texas cave teach us about SEO? More than you'd think.

In this presentation, Peter Macinkovic shares the story of how he took Stake – already a billion-dollar company – from 99.99% brand traffic to dominating the world's most competitive search terms like "online casino" and "sports betting."

And the W.E.I.R.D thing? Most of what we "know" about SEO comes from studying the wrong sample – and the industry's universal "best practices" might be leading you astray.

Peter will reveal:

• Why 13,000 ranking factors don't matter when only 4 actually do
• How failing Core Web Vitals didn't stop Stake from reaching #1
• Why most SEO "best practices" are written for environments completely different to yours
• The mechanical, systems-based approach that took 9 months to show results – then dominated
• How to identify which SEO rules to follow and which to break for your specific situation

Whether you're an in-house SEO, agency professional, or business owner, this talk will challenge your assumptions about what actually drives rankings in competitive niches.

"The salamander adapted perfectly to its cave. That doesn't mean every cave is the same."

• Nik Ranger - LinkedIn
• Peter Macinkovic - LinkedIn
• Paula Glynn - LinkedIn
• Regan McGregor - LinkedIn
• Dejan Mladenovski - LinkedIn
• Sally Mills - LinkedIn

The SEO Collective has evolved from the original Melbourne SEO Meetup, which was started by David Ivanow. Throughout the years it was run by Chris Burgess, Peter Mead, Pam Meagher and Saijo George. SEO Collective today has blossomed into a vibrant hub for SEO enthusiasts to share ideas, discuss strategies, and establish connections in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane with over 3,000 members.

Our vision is to create a conducive environment where everyone, from business owners to SEO professionals, can learn and grow. We encourage thought-provoking discussions, shared learning, and a collaborative approach to navigating the challenges of digital and web marketing.

Whether you're a seasoned SEO consultant, a business owner keen to enhance your digital acumen, or a member of a larger agency, you'll find value in the SEO Collective Meetup.

RSVP now to secure your free ticket!

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