2 days of unbridled SEO, music, comedy, food, drink and vibes
Following our Masterclasses, Thursday evening will see the HiveMCR conference open in style, with our social at Impossible. This will start with talks and and panel from some of Manchester’s brightest talent, moderated by Dawn Anderson.
This will be followed by a live performance from Manchester Indie band Token Honey, drinks and more music.
Book your ticketThursday 21st May
Thursday Night Talks, Panel & Opening Party
If you’re wise enough to book a full conference ticket and gain access to one of our expert training days, you will also get access to our Thursday evening talks, panels and the opening party. Held at one of Manchester’s most iconic party venues, this will include talks and insight from an “All Star MCR” cast of experts.
Daytime Masterclasses at MMU
Leading & Running An Agency in 2026 (Lisa Paasche), Technical SEO Masterclass (Gerry White), AI Search Optimisation in 2026 (Charlie Whitworth), Smarter Content Strategies Masterclass (Yagmur Simsek), Branding Building & Digital PR in 2026 (Shannon McGuirk), GA4 & Website Tracking Masterclass (Kyle Rushton McGregor),
Dawn Anderson
Nikki Halliwell
Jess Atkinson
Thursday Evening Talks & Panel
Nikki Halliwell, Harrison Lemon, Ryan White, Jess Atkinson,
Manchester All Stars – Impossible (7pm – Late)
Dawn Anderson
Moderator
Nikki Halliwell
Director
Ctrl Alf Delete Limited
Nikki Halliwell is a leading technical SEO consultant based in Manchester, UK and an international SEO speaker. She runs her own Freelance SEO consultancy and leads the technical SEO offering at the award-winning performance marketing agency Journey Further. She focuses on all things technical and ensures websites are easy to find, load quickly, and promote a good user experience.
Is Rendering Thew New Ranking Factor?
Nikki dives into the hidden technical failures that are holding back modern, JavaScript-heavy websites. From incomplete rendering to broken internal links, these issues often go unnoticed but have a direct impact on indexation, loading, and performance in AI-powered search. This session cuts through the noise to explain the real differences between CSR, SSR, and edge rendering, and shows how to diagnose rendering issues at scale.
Jess Atkinson
Head of Organic
Embryo
Jess is Head of Organic at Embryo, based in Manchester, with over 10 years of experience in the digital industry. She specialises in creating data-led, cross-channel strategies that deliver meaningful results, combining expertise across SEO, content, PPC, social media, PR, and DOOH.
Understanding Your Audience When The SERP Is... A Lot.
This talk explores how the SERP influences attention, trust, and click behaviour in modern search environments. Attendees will leave with practical ways to read messy SERPs, spot visibility gaps, and show up more effectively in front of the audiences that matter. Jess will be speaking as part of the "Manchester All Stars" panel and delivering her talk before the HiveMCR opening party on Thursday 21st May 2026.
Thursday Evening Talks & Panel
Nikki Halliwell, Harrison Lemon, Ryan White, Jess Atkinson,
HiveMCR launch party featuring Token Honey
Hailing from Manchester's funky underbelly, Token Honey are the next name to watch in the UK indie pop scene. Expertly combining their influences in synth pop, disco and surf rock, the band's sound has developed into a unique blend of chilled, dreamy and funky, equally fit for a beachside hangout or a club dancefloor.
Media
Token Honey - One Touch Love
Token Honey - Reality
Token Honey - Rock The Casbah
Download an information pack
Kirsty’s talk was incredible, full of energy and if she is on any speaking lineup then make sure you see her. She gave a much needed pep talk to 150 folks on how to feel more confident and focus more in work. It was full of actionable insights
Rhys Wynne