SEO for Paws is more than a conference where you can listen to John Mueller, a search advocate for Google. It’s also an opportunity to do something good for animals and support small private shelters in Ukraine that are barely making ends meet. The mastermind behind the project is Anton Shulke, or rather… his cat.
While some in the industry insist that “SEO is dead,” others not only make it work but also do their best to… keep others alive. This was the goal of Anton Shulke, who decided to use his popularity for a good cause.
He is the man behind SEO for Paws — a live-stream conference that serves as an educational, networking, and, above all, charitable event.
All proceeds from the event will be donated to small shelters in Ukraine, providing vital resources to care for abandoned and injured cats and dogs.
From a Street Cat to an International Conference
Anton Shulke currently holds the position of Head of Influencer Marketing at Duda, having previously worked at SEMrush for many years. More than 11,000 people follow his account on LinkedIn, and the number is growing steadily.
Among the posts he shares are not only industry news, but also photos of animals. And these are some of the most important driving forces for Shulke, the originator of #seocharity.
Here’s what he has to say about the beginnings of his charitable journey:
I have a cat. We found her on the street when she was about 2 months old, now she is 5 years old. Since then, I started paying attention to people who help cats and dogs. Many of them do it in their own apartments or homes. Some of them have more than 80 animals and have no regular income! I started making donations — not huge amounts, but regularly.
When the war broke out, most people who had also been doing so had a lot less money for themselves and a lot more problems to solve. I decided to start my personal charity project in March 2022. Search Engine Journal soon wrote about it.
Small Funds & Growing Needs
Anton Shulke stresses that funds Ukrainian shelters use to repair their budgets mainly come from small, private donations. Because most of these shelters are not registered as charities, they have great difficulty getting money from large international funds.
Shulke’s project is 100% aimed at donors from outside the country — his audience and friends in the industry. In his own words: everything is based on personal trust.
Funds raised in the first edition of the conference, held in February, were used to cover all basic needs: food and veterinary assistance. It’s very rare to get something fancy, like cat scratchers or toys, although that too is sometimes a necessity, says Shulke.
For Your and Animals’ Sake
This year’s event, to be held on September 25, will feature speakers such as John Mueller of Google and Gianluca Fiorelli of ILoveSEO.net. You can check out the full agenda on the event’s website.
Attendees will have the opportunity to speak with the experts via live chat during the event.
Registration for the event itself is free, but the organizer encourages donations for animals that need care in war-stricken Ukraine. We’re encouraging everyone to do it, too!
