The 2026 Edition of Search Evolution Summit
This was the 2nd edition of Search Evolution Summit!!
This is how Search Evolution Summit 2026 looked like
The speakers from the 2nd edition of Search Evolution Summit
These were the people who talked about SEO at our 2nd edition!
Alex Galinos
Alex Galinos is a revenue-focused SEO leader with experience across 20 global markets. He serves as Group Director of Marketing Acquisition at the Elife Group, managing global transportation brands hoppa & Elife Transfer.
He is the top SEO Expert in Greece, Cyprus and the wider region. He is ranked #1 most influential SEO Professional in Greece by Favikon and in the Top 100 SEO Influencers worldwide. He is a contributor at Search Engine Land and has been featured on Ahrefs, SEMrush blog and Marketing Week.
Myriam Jessier
Myriam Jessier has trained thousands of marketers, consulted for global enterprise brands, and navigated the search landscape for over 15 years.
They love to deep-dive into multimodal search patterns, bridge traditional SEO with AI discovery, and decode complex retrieval systems.
A prolific international speaker, technical SEO strategist, and unapologetic cheese-lover, Myriam delivers high-impact talks.
Bengü Sarıca Dinçer
Bengü Sarıca Dinçer is a SaaS SEO Manager at Designmodo and a freelance consultant for SaaS companies.
With 13 years across agencies and startups, Bengü has supported medium and large-scale companies across national and international markets.
She’s a proudly certified data nerd and a firm believer that data analytics doesn’t have to be painful.
Mark Williams-Cook
Mark Williams-Cook is director of SEO agency Candour, Founder of SaaS tool AlsoAsked, and has been involved in SEO for over 20 years, with experience running everything from e-commerce businesses to affiliate sites.
Mark recently founded the new cats.txt internet standard and when not working on sites, is doing the Search with Candour podcast, the Core Updates SEO newsletter and “unsolicited” #SEO tips on LinkedIn.
Andrei Țiț
Andrei Țiț is a product marketing expert and Head of Product Marketing at Ahrefs.
With 10+ years of experience launching products, growing brand awareness, and creating practical tutorials for SaaS companies, Andrei has a knack for turning complex ideas into strategies people can actually use.
Dixon Jones
Dixon Jones is the CEO of InLinks and Waikay, and has been working in search engine marketing since 1999. He’s the author of Entity SEO: Moving from Strings to Things, a guide to topical optimization and the shift from keyword-based algorithms to entity-driven knowledge graphs.
At Majestic, where he served as Marketing Director for nine years, he helped scale the world’s largest backlink database and contributed to two Queen’s Awards for Enterprise. UK Lifetime Achievement Award for SEO. Named Search Personality of the Year. Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. A regular on the keynote stages at BrightonSEO, Pubcon, and SMX. Now coming to Cluj-Napoca.
Luis Salazar Jurado
Luis Salazar Jurado is a Semantic and Technical SEO consultant who built his foundation in web development before moving deep into search. That background shapes how he works: Technical SEO audits, content strategy, and international SEO with a specialist focus on eCommerce and SaaS.
In the SEO community, he’s well known for making micro semantics and semantic SEO consultancy actually approachable for people who want to go beyond the basics.
Roxana Stingu
Roxana Stingu is Head of Search & SEO at Alamy, where she leads technical, enterprise, image, and e-commerce SEO alongside the optimization of Alamy’s own internal search engine to improve how content gets discovered on and off the platform.
With nearly two decades in digital marketing across several industries, she’s a familiar face at BrightonSEO, Tech SEO Summit, and WTSFest. Her thing is understanding how search engines actually work and helping teams navigate what keeps changing around them.
Michał Suski
As co-founder of Surfer, Michał Suski spends most of his time working on on-page SEO, large-scale content systems, and AI-assisted workflows. On stage, he talks about things that actually work. The kind of stuff learned the hard way.
Gianluca Fiorelli
Gianluca Fiorelli is a Strategic and International SEO and AI Strategist Consultant. His client list speaks for itself: Glassdoor, Idealista, Chess.com, SIXT Ride, Zooplus, Visit California, and many more across industries and regions.
Former Global Associate for Moz, Gianluca, shares his insights and best practices on SEO, AI Search, Semantics, content, and search marketing strategy on social media channels such as X and LinkedIn, as well as his website IloveSEO.net and The Search Session, the weekly video podcast he directs and hosts for Advanced Web Ranking.
Robert Niechciał
Robert Niechciał is the co-founder at SensAI Academy and CTO at Vestigio. Robert is a cutting-edge tech lover, especially when said tech can be utilized for optimization. Laser-focused on AI, reverse engineering Google algorithms, Robert provides lectures and training sessions on the topic, inspiring peers both in Poland and at the world’s largest SEO conferences.
Cosmin Negrescu
Cosmin Negrescu is co-founder and CEO of SEOmonitor. He started in SEO in 2007, building one of the first agencies in Romania. Running campaigns for clients showed him the gaps: forecasting results, proving ROI, running SEO as a discipline. So he built SEOmonitor, turning everything he’d learned into the platform that helps SEO professionals forecast, track, and prove organic search performance.
Now, with AI Search rewriting the rules, he’s back on the front lines building the metrics and frameworks that don’t exist yet, including the AI Visibility Index, a free tool measuring brand visibility in ChatGPT and Google AI for multiple markets, including Romania.
Laura Văduva
Laura Văduva is an in-house SEO specialist and part-time freelancer, with over 8 years of experience in digital marketing. She specializes in the development and implementation of SEO and AI Search strategies that generate acquisitions for top brands in the UK & Ireland, as well as for local businesses.
She started her journey as a trainer and digital marketing consultant in the Google Digital Workshop, after which she specialized in organic search, with a focus on SEO, ASO and AI Search.
George Onofrievici
George Onofrievici is the CEO and co-founder of Wawsome, a digital accessibility platform that helps companies align their websites and applications with WCAG, EN 301 549, and European Accessibility Act standards.
Prior to Wawsome, he spent years in product management, including a role as VP of Product at a global privacy and security company with over 1,000 employees, working on products used worldwide. George is the type of CEO who prefers quietly building something useful over seeking the spotlight, though you might still catch him on stage from time to time.
Andrei Draga
Andrei Draga is a Senior Software Engineer with 14 years of programming experience. Andrei is a perfectionist and has a passion for mathematics and education.
He has worked in the banking and betting industries, where he contributed to the development of technical SEO solutions for several brands in the Flutter group.
Tudor Goicea
Tudor Goicea is CRO and co-founder at Aqurate, an AI-powered SaaS platform that increases eCommerce conversions and average cart value through personalized product recommendations and behavioral segmentation.
Prior to Aqurate, Tudor was Chief Revenue Officer at TypingDNA, a Google-backed startup that adds a layer of security to biometric solutions. His background also includes analysis, research, and consulting roles at Flexperto, Horváth & Partners, GECAD Ventures, and Procter & Gamble.
Loredana Chinole
A certified trainer, Loredana Chinole has spent over 10 years in large corporations in Romania, working closely with management teams to optimize internal processes. She has provided consulting, coaching and soft skills training for middle and top management, and at Bosch Romania she was part of the marketing team, on internal and external campaigns.
She has a degree in Psychology and Sociology, a master’s degree in Human Resources Management and Organizational Administration, and a training in systemic psychotherapy. In recent years, she has focused on the human factor, convinced that healthy people maintain a strong organizational culture.
Darius Mureșan
Darius Mureșan believes that marketing and sales go hand in hand, which is why he has dedicated his career to perfecting both areas. Darius Mureșan started as a Sales and Marketing Specialist, and since 2021 has been International Business Development Manager for the CEE and Balkans region at WhitePress.
In this role, Darius is responsible for the expansion of WhitePress® in the CEE region, coordinates a dynamic team of approximately 20 professionals, and contributes to the growth of WhitePress in the region.
Cosmin Negrescu
Cosmin Negrescu is co-founder and CEO of SEOmonitor. He started in SEO in 2007, building one of the first agencies in Romania. Running campaigns for clients showed him the gaps: forecasting results, proving ROI, running SEO as a discipline. So he built SEOmonitor, turning everything he’d learned into the platform that helps SEO professionals forecast, track, and prove organic search performance.
Now, with AI Search rewriting the rules, he’s back on the front lines building the metrics and frameworks that don’t exist yet, including the AI Visibility Index, a free tool measuring brand visibility in ChatGPT and Google AI for multiple markets, including Romania.
Roast your website by Mixtazure
Patrik & Alex from Mixtazure will analyze the websites submitted by participants, together with the SEO specialists in the room (those who want to join). We call it a “roast”, but you’ll leave with a list of concrete things you can fix and a few ideas that maybe you hadn’t thought of before.
How to get your website on the list?
1. Get a ticket to the Local RO Panel
2. At the entrance, you cand register your website on the list
3. If you’re lucky, your website gets on the screen and you get the live analysis
afterparty
2026 edition agenda
This was the conference agenda for our 2nd edition.
Time
Activity / Topic
Speaker
10:00 – 10:55
Registration
10:55 – 11:00
Opening
Search Evolution Summit Team
11:00 – 11:25
Multimodal Video Optimization
Myriam Jessier
11:25 – 11:50
The Consensus –> Information Gain Axis
Gianluca Fiorelli
11:50 – 12:15
How to grow a Brand with Semantic SEO
Luis Salazar Jurado
12:15 – 12:45
Coffee Break #1
Coffee break by Stradale @ Flavours Hub
13:00- 13:25
What AI knows about your brand and what you can do about it?
Dixon Jones
13:25 – 13:50
Once a search engine… always a search engine
Roxana Stingu
13:50 – 14:15
Q&A #1
5x previous speakers
14:15 – 15:15
Lunch
Lunch by Stradale @ Flavours Hub
15:15 – 15:40
Multi-Platform Search Ecosystem: When “Everywhere” Still Isn’t Enough
Bengü Sarıca DİNÇER
15:40 – 16:05
Who is fooling you in AI SEO industry? 365 days of research
Michał Suski
16:05 – 16:30
The 5 Stages of SEO Grief (and how to measure AI Search)
Andrei Țiț
16:30 – 17:00
Coffee Break #2
Coffee break by Stradale @ Flavours Hub
17:00 – 17:25
Do !think like a robot: SEO decision making for humans
Mark Williams-Cook
17:25 – 17:50
The Death of Traffic: Building Revenue-Focused SEO in a Zero-Click World
Alex Galinos
17:50 – 18:20
Q&A #2
5x previous speakers
Time
Activity / Topic
Speaker
09:30 – 10:00
Registration
10:00 – 12:00
AI agents for SEO by SensAI Academy
Robert Niechciał
14:00 – 14:30
Coffee Break
Coffee break by Stradale @ Flavours Hub
14:30 – 16:30
The AI Visibility Sprint: measure your brand in AI Search, let your AI build the plan by SEOmonitor
Cosmin Negrescu
18:00 – 23:00
Networking Afterparty
Everyone
Time
Activity / Topic
Speaker
11:00 – 11:55
Registration
11:55 – 12:00
Opening
Search Evolution Summit Team
12:00 – 12:20
Who wins in AI Search in Romania? What the real data shows
Cosmin Negrescu
12:20 – 12:40
Feed the machine: How to appear in AI-generated responses with brand mentions
Darius Mureșan
12:40 – 13:00
Regulation and compliance as forces shaping European digital
George Onofrievici
13:00 – 13:20
Reshaping Internet in the AI era
Andrei Draga
13:20 – 14:00
Panel talk – AI Search in Romania
All Local RO speakers
14:00 – 14:30
Coffee break
Coffee break by Stradale @ Flavours Hub
14:30 – 14:50
Website Migrations: A Practical Guide for SEO Specialists
Laura Văduva
14:50 – 15:10
How to prevent burnout in the SEO industry
Loredana Chinole
15:10 – 15:30
You won the click. Did you win the customer?
Tudor Goicea
15:30 – 16:30
Roast Your Website by Mixtazure – (Local RO Panel ticket gives you access)
1. Get a ticket
2. Register your website at the entrance
3. If you’re lucky, your website gets a live analysis (other SEOs from the crowd can also join!)
18:00 – 23:00
Networking Afterparty
Everyone
Testimonials
Feedback from our previous attendees
Attendees, speakers, or partners, they all enjoyed our 2026 edition.
“Friday marked Romania’s first SEO conference: Search Evolution Summit 🇷🇴 I was honored to speak there on Ahrefs’ behalf and give back to the community I call home. Huge congrats to Patrik Rojan and Alexandru Paul Drimba for the initiative and delivering such a well-executed event. Darius Muresan Remus Marcu Oncu Flaviu I’ve lost count of how many people from Oradea work at SEO tools now. Maybe SEOmonitor team will join next year? Thank you to all who put Cluj-Napoca on the SEO map 🎯 YOU ROCK!!”
Head of Product Marketing @ Ahrefs
“On Friday, I had the privilege of joining the very first Search Evolution Summit in Cluj. Impeccable organization, inspiring speakers and some of the best conversations I’ve seen in the past years around marketing. Kudos to the organizers, this first edition already felt like a benchmark event within the industry. For me, the takeaway is simple: Marketing today isn’t about creating more content (nicely said to noise 😊). It’s about being clear, being different and building trust with people and increasingly, with the systems they rely on. “
Director of Marketing @ DigitalPerformance
“After a long break, we at DataForSEO finally decided to show up offline…and it turned out to be an experience full of energy and inspiration.
It was a pleasure to connect in person with our partners at Search Evolution Summit by Mixtazure, and see the genuine interest from top-tier SEO experts and leading companies in what we’re building, from APIs to no-code solutions. See you all next year!”
CMO @ DataforSEO
Our 2nd edition had 3 days of activities
On day zero, we hosted a private dinner and wine tasting with our speakers, partners, and VIP ticket holders.
The first day was dedicated to the main conference, with international speakers sharing their expertise on practical topics.
On the second day, we hosted advanced SEO workshops and local Romanian SEO panels. Attendees picked between the two, depending on what they wanted to focus on.
The evenings were reserved mainly for networking. After 3 full days, we wrapped up the conference with a Friday night party.
We planned something special, and we wanted every attendee to end each day with at least a strategy, an idea, or a new connection (or all of them).
Day 0: Dinner & Wine Tasting
2 September 2026 – WednesdayRomania has one of the largest privately owned vineyards in Europe. At our private dinner, VIP ticket holders tasted authentic Transylvanian cuisine and wine, and talked with our speakers and partners.
The full evening included a certified wine expert who guided us, a dinner prepared for the occasion, and private discussions. It took place at a special location in the center of Cluj-Napoca.
Day 1: Main Conference
3 September 2026 – ThursdayThe conference day was a full day of talks, with 10 SEO presentations. You could call it a conference day, special keynote sessions, or a mastermind; the idea was that everyone would go back home with something valuable.
We started the morning with specialty coffee (we love our coffee here in Cluj), followed by the three sessions we had planned.
Between sessions, attendees had coffee breaks with snacks, plus a warm lunch to stay charged for the rest of the day.
A relaxed networking session wrapped up the day, with time to talk to the other participants and speakers.
Day 2: Workshops & Local RO Panels
4 September 2026 – FridayOn the last day, we hosted parallel advanced SEO workshops (held in English) alongside local Romanian SEO panels.
We had two advanced workshops, each around two hours long. Attendees needed their laptops, because the workshops involved practical work, and a coffee break separated them.
During the same timeframe, Romanian experts led panel sessions (held in Romanian). The panels were mainly for business owners, marketers, and search and AI enthusiasts, and they had their own warm coffee break.
After three full days, we wrapped everything up with the networking afterparty. It was open to all ticket holders, whatever their ticket type, because we wanted everyone to connect with each other.
Our 2026 edition partners
Main Partner
Gold Partners
Workshop Partners
Silver Partners
Bronze Partners
Media Partners
Community Partners
