We recently attended the Internet Retailer Conference and Exhibition in Chicago earlier this week, and boy — what a show! IRCE has undoubtedly done its share of growth over the years, and it was extremely gratifying for us to spend time in a place with such a focus on internet marketing and e-commerce.
We had a good time at the show but were glad to be home in San Diego. However, we didn’t leave Chicago without bringing back some great memories.
Here are a few of the sights we saw in Chicago while attending IRCE 2015 (as well as some things you should know if you’re ever there):
SEO Inc. Lands at IRCE
The IRCE is known as the largest e-commerce event, drawing internet marketing, SEO, PPC, and other specialists worldwide. Therefore, the McCormick Place West Building was the right place to hold the IRCE conference. Over 600 companies displayed their services throughout the Exhibit Hall’s 250,000-square-foot show floor.
This was one of two main entrances to IRCE. If you’ve ever been to one of these events, you know what a thrill it can be to pass underneath one of those giant welcoming banners.
Smile, Everyone!
Our CEO Garry Grant and Vice President of Sales Arnaud Lemaire found plenty to smile about on the IRCE show floor. Within minutes of our arrival, we had won an honest-to-goodness selfie stick! We tried it out here, and what do you know — it works great!
(Can you spot the old SEO Inc. logo in this picture?)
Here’s a zoomed-out look at the show floor. The booths varied in size and style, making for an eye-catching walk down the aisles. Of course, this is just a tiny taste of SEO, PPC, and e-Commerce. Multiply this picture by about 600, and you’ll have a pretty good idea of its full scope!
One Last Look
There’s Garry, still smiling!
Chicago at a Glance
A semi-quiet Chicago afternoon outside the Thompson Hotel. But don’t let that fool you! In about an hour, the sidewalks of Bellevue Place would become packed with people seeking trendy nightlife activities.
Decisions, Decisions…
As the nightlife grew, so did our hunger. Finally, it was time to find somewhere to eat! We broke away from the surging passersby to check out some of the nearby dining establishments. Tavern on Rush was located right across the Thompson Chicago. Described as “An Exciting Restaurant,” we soon learned this beautiful spot is as popular as exciting.
Turning at the corner of the street, we ran into plenty of IRCE 2015 conference attendees and locals looking for tasty places to dine. Among these was the renowned Gibson Steakhouse on North Rush Street. Known for its USDA Prime Angus Beef, we could tell this establishment would be a good choice.
Sharing a building and a kitchen with Gibson’s is Hugo’s Frog Bar and Fish House. This lively place enticed us with a wide array of premium seafood dishes.
We backtracked to the Tavern on Rush and chose an old standby — pizza! Yes, we realize it isn’t a Chicago-style deep dish pizza, but believe us when we say this was a quality pie. It looks good from the picture, but it doesn’t do the taste justice!
What’s Next for SEO Inc.
All in all, it was a very successful show for us. We met some fantastic people at IRCE, which led to several exciting new partnerships.
You can bet that SEO Inc. has more exciting developments in our future. We can’t wait to show you what’s to come! The future is undoubtedly continuing to look bright for this SEO service provider.
