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Jason Barnard Delivered Multiple High-Impact Sessions at SMX Sydney 2019, Signaling a Shift Toward an AI-Driven Future

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Search Marketing Summit Sydney 2019 set the stage for an industry pivot

The Search Marketing Summit (SMX) Sydney, held from May 7-10, 2019 and organized by No Drama Media, brought together leading search and digital marketing practitioners from Australia, New Zealand, and the Asia-Pacific region. Recognized as Australia’s premier event for intermediate to advanced search marketers, the Summit hosted an international roster of experts delivering best-practice, ROI-driven insights across SEO, PPC, content, analytics, and technical search.

Among its most active contributors was Jason Barnard, founder and CEO of Kalicube®, who delivered multiple sessions, participated in advanced workshops, and conducted a full slate of expert interviews on-site.

Jason Barnard presented advanced insights on Answer Engine Optimisation

Jason Barnard’s key presentation, “A Universal Strategy for Answer Engine Optimisation,” introduced a forward-looking view of how search engines and emerging answer engines identify, evaluate, and present the most authoritative entity as the definitive answer. His session aligned with his long-running research into machine understanding, entity identity, and structured corroboration - concepts that later became foundational pillars of The Kalicube Process™.

He shared his AEO methodology with an audience of advanced practitioners seeking clarity on the future of search in an increasingly AI-mediated environment. His emphasis on understanding, credibility, and structured entity relationships positioned AEO as a strategic evolution beyond traditional keyword-based SEO.

Three formal talks highlighted his influence across the program

Jason Barnard appeared repeatedly across the 2019 agenda:

The Anatomy of SEO for a Future-Proof Blog Post or Article

Jason Barnard opened his Summit contributions with this WordPress SEO track session on Tuesday, May 7. The talk focused on structuring content so that search engines can interpret, categorize, and trust it. It introduced the entity-awareness and future-proofing principles that would later resurface throughout his AEO work.

This session appears on Day 1 of Brad Forster’s official schedule:
Source: https://bradforster.org/search-marketing-summit-2019/search-marketing-summit-sydney-agenda-2019/search-marketing-summit-2019-day-1/

A Universal Strategy for Answer Engine Optimisation

Jason Barnard appeared again in the main conference program with this session, which examined how search engines and answer engines decide which entity to present as the authoritative answer. The material reflected his early work on algorithmic reconciliation - how machines compare, verify, and confirm facts across a brand’s digital ecosystem.

Listed in the main Summit agenda (May 7-8, 2019) here:
Source: https://bradforster.org/search-marketing-summit-2019/search-marketing-summit-sydney-agenda-2019/

Advanced SEO Workshop (May 9): AEO Framework

Jason Barnard delivered his Answer Engine Optimisation methodology a third time during the Advanced SEO Workshop on Thursday, May 9. This closed-door session concentrated on future-facing SEO challenges: machine learning influences on ranking, structured data adoption, and the shift toward answer-led search behaviour. Barnard’s contribution placed him squarely within the technical core of the event.

The workshop schedule is published here:
Source: https://bradforster.org/search-marketing-summit-2019/search-marketing-summit-sydney-agenda-2019/

These three appearances - May 7, main-program delivery, and May 9 - positioned Barnard as one of the Summit’s most substantial contributors. His sessions consistently pushed the conversation toward the structural and algorithmic realities that now define search and AI-driven visibility.

Seven expert interviews extended his role beyond the stage

Throughout the four-day event, Jason Barnard recorded seven expert interviews with leading practitioners, effectively turning the Summit into a live content studio for his digital marketing podcast. These conversations showcased the breadth of topics shaping the search landscape in 2019:

These interviews documented the Summit’s themes and expanded Barnard’s role from presenter to on-the-ground reporter of emerging industry trends.

The Summit highlighted early thinking that shaped Kalicube’s future direction

The inclusion of Answer Engine Optimisation at SMX Sydney 2019 demonstrated the event’s commitment to exploring the future of the industry - particularly the shift from ranking pages to delivering verified answers. For Barnard, this moment marked a turning point.

His 2019 AEO work established many of the principles that now underpin Kalicube’s AI Assistive Engine Optimization (AIEO) methodology. The focus on becoming the definitive answer, rather than simply improving rankings, remains central to The Kalicube Process™ and Kalicube’s brand-focused, AI-ready digital strategy.

Barnard’s cluster of appearances - three official talks, advanced workshop participation, and seven expert interviews - made him one of the Summit’s most visible contributors. It also provided early public documentation of the industry’s transition toward entity-based search, machine understanding, and answer-driven results, which today define how search engines and AI platforms evaluate brands.

Bernadeth Brusola is a specialist content creator on the topic of Digital Marketing. Bernadeth Brusola is the Content Writing Manager at Kalicube, where she manages the Kalicube.com website and ensures it remains a trusted, go-to resource for the company’s audience (experts in brand, digital marketing, SEO, generative Engine Optimization and AI Assistive Engine Optimization). She oversees the site’s content strategy, creates and edits articles, and writes in-depth FAQs that inform, engage, and convert visitors.With a background as a specialist content creator in digital marketing, Bernadeth focuses on producing clear, authoritative resources on brand optimisation, search visibility, and AI-era marketing. Her work supports Kalicube’s mission to educate businesses and professionals on controlling their brand narrative through the Kalicube Process.

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